


Remaking Destiny

by LadyLaran



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-04-20
Updated: 2016-04-20
Packaged: 2018-01-20 02:01:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 24,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1492603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyLaran/pseuds/LadyLaran
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lily and James weren't as blind as most people might have thought and made plans for their only son and heir.  This is their story and his.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The First Mistake

**Author's Note:**

> Author’s Note - So I was discussing an ongoing story that a friend was writing when this plot wombat spawned on me. I’ve had to do a lot of tearing through the Harry Potter Lexicon to ensure correctness in regards to dates, people, and lineage. To the people who have updated and kept up with that site, thank you so very much! As an afterthought, after going through things in regards to family trees and whatnot, all I can say is no wonder some of them were utterly mad! The amount of inbreeding that went on was absolutely mind boggling.
> 
> Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter, and all I own is the plot wombat that has spawned this tale. I make no money from this at all.

When the elderly form of the wizard disappeared, green eyes hardened as they watched the man disparate from view. The owner of the emerald orbs was very much displeased with what she had heard and sensed from the visitor that had just departed. The words the old man had spoken replayed themselves in her mind, distracting her until the voice of her husband finally broke into her thoughts.

“Lily?”

She turned slightly to face him, looking both angry and worried. From the expression on her soul mate’s face, it was obvious that James was feeling the same as she was. In a way, it helped to ease the knot of heated emotions that had coiled in her belly.

“What is it, James?”

“I really want to hear your thoughts on what Dumbledore had to tell us,” the Potter lord told his wife.

“I think it’s a load of shite,” she answered, turning to face her spouse fully. “Divination is a wooly subject to begin with, and what little of the prophecy he shared with us seems more self fulfilling than anything else.”

“It’s almost as if he’s hoping to drag us out of neutrality and into the war because of Harry’s possible destiny,” James shared, agreeing with his wife. “My father often warned me about the man, and I’m starting to agree with him. I don’t like the look in the old man’s eyes when he saw Harry.”

“Neither did I,” the red head said, thinking on things. “James, we need to set up a way to keep Harry out of his clutches should anything happen to us. There‘s too much that could be left open to his manipulations if we‘re out of the picture.”

“With his position and contacts in the Ministry, the old man could easily put our wills into lockdown if Voldemort did come after us and successfully kill us. Right now, the man has no reason to come looking for us but that can easily change if he hears of that prophecy.”

Lily got up and started pacing, trying to work out a viable plan to keep their child safe should the unthinkable happen. She put her worries and anger to one side, forcing herself to think logically.

“We need to make sure that Harry goes to where we want him to go and not where Dumbledore thinks will keep him humble and malleable,” she said to her husband as she kept moving about the parlor. “A place where he’ll be protected and kept away from Dumbledore until he’s strong enough to withstand any manipulation.”

“Someplace where he’ll be trained to take up the mantel of Lord Potter and fit into society,” James agreed, looking thoughtful as he pondered the problem. “Love, do you think he’ll send Harry to your sister?”

The witch stopped for a moment, fighting the urge to throw something when she realized what her husband was thinking. Given what she had admitted to in front of the headmaster when speaking to her friends, it was a thought that horrified her.

“It’s more than likely. Vernon would do all he could to squash the magic out of Harry. Petunia doesn’t stand up to him most of the time,” she said, frowning. “They wouldn’t tell him about magic and so when his letter came, he’d be grateful to Dumbledore for getting him out of that mess. That would leave him exposed and vulnerable to the old man, and he‘d never realize that this was a set up.”

James got up, running fingers through his wild hair for a moment, before turning to head out of the room. There was a look of determination on his face.

“James, where are you going?”

“I know where to send Harry. I love my friends, don’t get me wrong, but they’re too close to Dumbledore’s manipulations to be a full guardian to him. Add to that, Sirius is great as an uncle but doesn’t really have father potential. I’ll be back in a short while,” he said, kissing her cheek before heading out.

Lily watched him go, pleased that he’d found a possible sanctuary and guardian for their son. Knowing her husband as well as she did, the red head was certain that his choice would be a formidable one indeed. There was simply no way they’d let their little boy go into Dumbledore’s hands. 

 

* * * *

When Petunia Dursley opened her door to retrieve the milk, she was taken by surprise at first to see the bundled form of her nephew laying on her doorstep. The surprise was taken over by concern at first, realizing the child would be cold for being out in such temperatures all night. She found the letter after picking him up, reading it as she stepped into the house to try to see to the boy’s comfort. That was when surprise gave way to two distinct emotions: sorrow and anger.

The blond haired woman gently set the child on the couch, rubbing her face with her hand as she sat down as well. Her eyes filled with tears for a moment as she contemplated the news she’d been given.

Lily was dead.

The words formed a deep crack in her heart as she realized her bright little sister was never coming back. Despite her envy at not being able to use magic, Petunia had been pleased when Lily had found a way for them to keep in contact in such a way as to keep Vernon out of it. Her husband was very much against magic, considering it to be unnatural, and as long as Petunia visited her sister outside of the home and never mentioned Lily, he was fine with the two meeting up at times.

It was the memory of her last meeting with her sister that pushed the sorrow to the side, allowing the anger and determination to flow through her. The woman rose, going to the kitchen and pulling out the letter that Lily had given her.

“Dolly,” she called out, following her sister’s instructions to her.

Within less than a second, a female house elf, clad in a miniature maid’s uniform with a crest embroidered on the white apron appeared.

“You summoned Dolly, Mrs. Dursley?”

She blessed Lily for having introduced her to this creature before or she’d have had a bad reaction when she’d summoned the elf. The last thing she needed right now was to have Vernon aware of what was going on, though she didn’t think he would object to the plan that the Evans sisters had agreed upon.

“Lily’s worries have come to pass,” the former Evans sister told the elf. “I will meet with my nephew’s caretaker in an hour.”

The house elf nodded, having been waiting for this and hoping that it wouldn’t happen. However, now that it had, she would ensure that her mistress would be informed of the news and the safety of her mistress’s young cousin taken care of.

“Dolly will inform Mistress, Mrs. Dursley. Mistress will be at the rendezvous point within the hour.”

Petunia was left alone a mere second later when the female elf disappeared with an almost silent pop. She drew in a slow breath to steady herself, heading into the living room and up the stairs.

“Vernon, would you mind looking after Dudley for me for a couple of hours? I’ve an important errand that’s come up.”

Her husband, who was tending to their son, called back to his wife.

“Of course not, Pet. Take your time,” he told her. “Dudley and I will enjoy our morning together.”

“Thank you, Vernon,” she said, picking up her handbag and car keys before going back to the living room. Petunia carefully picked up her nephew and headed outside, determined to make it to the destination that Lily had set up.

Two cups of tea and almost an hour later, Petunia was relieved when an elderly woman approached her. She was clad in a black and gray dress suit, accompanied by a strand of tasteful pearls and pearl earrings. Silver hair was coiled into an elegant but simple bun at the back of the woman’s head. Judging from the attire and the way the older female held herself, it was obvious that this was a woman of high breeding and education.

“Petunia Evans Dursley?”

At the cultured tone, Petunia rose to her feet in a sign of respect but also to be ready to run with her nephew if the security question wasn’t answered correctly. Lily had been very specific in this.

“The former head girl had a unique ability that she shared with her husband. What was it and the form she could take?”

The older woman gave her a nod of respect, knowing what she was doing. James had warned her of the question that would be asked and provided the answer for her to give to his sister-in-law.

“Lady Potter was an animagus and could take the form of a jaguar,” she responded, giving the proper answer.

Petunia relaxed slightly, gesturing politely at a chair as she spoke. She was relieved that the question had been answered correctly.

“Please have a seat.”

The older woman nodded, sitting gracefully as she did so. She refused the tea when offered before speaking to her companion.

“I am Callidora Black Longbottom,” she introduced herself. “James was my cousin through Dorea Black Potter, his mother.”

“I’m glad he’ll be going to family,” Petunia told her, looking at where her nephew was dozing. “Lily didn’t give me very much in the way of information as to who was going to take him and where.”

“Probably best for your safety and his,” the lady told her. “Lily did ensure you have a way to protect your mind from any outside influences?”

The younger lady nodded her head, fingers going to a small ring she wore on her right hand. It had been her mother’s, and Lily had laid a strong enchantment on it to help protect against any mental intrusions that could happen. 

“She has. She also set up spells to ensure that anyone scanning the house would pick up the presence of my nephew, something about blood wards.”

“Clever girl,” Callidora murmured, glad to hear that Lily had thought this far ahead. “This should keep the meddling old man away from you and your family. He won’t know where Harkin is until the Hogwarts acceptance letters go out. By that time, he will not be able to interfere in custodial issues. Did the Headmaster leave any sort of papers regarding custody for the muggle world?”

Petunia shook her head, not having thought of that until the older woman had brought it up. Thankfully, Lily and James had been a step ahead of them.

“He didn’t so how I was supposed to keep up with his inoculations and enroll him in school, I don’t know. Lily said to give you this though,” she answered, handing Callidora a folder.

The aristocrat opened it, looking over the parchments that the folder contained. The child’s birth certificate, medical report, as well as custodial papers had been placed inside of it. The custodial papers held a Gringotts’ seal, showing it to be legal and binding once the signatures were in place.

“Mrs. Dursley, I will need you to sign something for me,” the Longbottom matriarch told her companion, pulling a special quill out of her purse. “This will ensure that custody of Harkin James Potter goes directly to me and cannot be challenged in court. The quill will use your blood, which is binding, even for non-magical beings.”

Petunia nodded, reading over the document. It was fairly straightforward, listing that Harkin would go to Callidora and that whoever had been chosen by anyone other than James or Lily Potter must sign in order to ensure that custody remained where the Potters wished for it to be. She quickly signed her name below her sister’s, ignoring the slight prick in a finger as the quill drew her blood to use as ink. Once done, she handed it and the document back to the woman sitting with her.

“Will you keep me up to date in how he’s doing? I know I wasn’t as involved in Lily’s life as much as we both would have liked, but she did write to me between visits and sent me pictures of her family.”

“Of course,” Callidora reassured her. “He is your nephew, and family is important. When he is old enough, I can also have him write you, if you wish.”

She gave the matriarch a rare smile that turned her face from plain to lovely. Petunia was happy to know she would be in touch with her sister’s child. Granted, she would never have been able to be a good mother to the boy but being an aunt was something she could do. The woman could send occasional gifts and provide stories of his mother to him as he grew.

“I would enjoy that a great deal. Thank you for taking him, Lady Longbottom.”

The elder just smiled in return; unlike her other Black relatives, she had no issues with muggles and Petunia had risen in her estimation by showing her care for her nephew. The Dursley woman was doing the right thing, and Callidora was pleased that James and Lily’s plans were falling into place.

“Thank you for acting so swiftly once Harkin was brought to you,” she said, rising gracefully. “Now I must go. I need to register this with the bank and begin the steps needed to preserve the belongings his parents kept at the cottage. Mrs. Dursley, was there anything Lily possessed that should go to you?”

“There were a few pieces of jewelry that belonged to our mother,” Petunia answered. “Lily and I divided that after she passed. However, I believe those should be held in trust for him in case he marries and has a daughter. She’ll be an Evans through him. I’m going to do the same thing in case Dudley has a daughter in the future as well.”

“I’ll do that then,” Callidora told her, watching as Petunia picked up the small child and kissed him on the cheek.

“Be a good boy, Harry,” she told him. “Your parents would be proud, and I know you’ll be happy with your cousin.”

Once the farewell was spoken, she handed the still sleeping boy to the older woman, looking happy that her nephew would be safe and taken care of. Callidora gave her a small smile, then walked away from the café.

After getting to a safe spot, the Longbottom Matriarch apparated to Diagon Alley, heading directly to Gringotts. She knew she needed to get things moving before Dumbledore completely locked everything down. 

A goblin teller looked up as she approached, not reacting when he recognized the woman.

“May I help you,” he asked, watching her closely as he did so. One never knew with humans as to how they would react to someone non-human.

“I need to speak with the goblin in charge of the Longbottom and Potter accounts,” Callidora said, knowing that her request would be carried out discretely. 

“Of course,” the goblin answered, gesturing for another to take his position. “Follow me, Lady Longbottom.”

She followed him out of the main area and into a nicely decorated meeting room, settling into a comfortable chair once the matriarch was left alone to wait. Gray eyes looked down at the bundle she carried, features softening as she examined the tiny one in her arms.

The sound of the door opening drew her attention away from her charge, and she became a bit more alert in posture as three goblins entered the room.

“Lady Longbottom,” the tallest one greeted, giving a bow of respect to the woman he had worked with for a very long time.

“Ironfist, may your vaults overflow with gold,” the witch greeted politely. “I thank you for your time as well as the time of the others. I know it is valuable to you.”

“I have discovered that time spent working with you has been profitable indeed, Lady Longbottom. May I present the goblin working for the Potter Estate, Bronzespear, and the goblin that handles the Black accounts, Darksteel?”

She gave a regal nod, greeting them traditionally. The witch had learned that respecting magical creatures went a long way in ensuring the peace as well as encouraging them to work a bit harder for you as they knew they would be treated well.

“May your vaults overflow with gold,” she said to them, turning her gaze back to Ironfist. “While I requested to speak with Bronzespear, I am a bit surprised as well as honored to meet with Darksteel.”

The three goblins took a seat, focusing on the intelligent human in front of them. Ironfist nodded at the goblin that managed the Black accounts.

“Your young cousin was arrested and is being sent to Azkaban,” he told her. “All for a crime that we know he did not commit, and a trial is not forthcoming. James Potter ensured that we were given legal proof that Sirius Black was not their secret keeper.”

“I take it that Walburga has not seen fit to give this information to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement?”

Darksteel shook his head, not surprised that Lady Longbottom had nailed the problem directly on the head.

“She will not hear anything regarding young Sirius Black. At the moment, you are the only member of the House of Black that we have been able to reach in regards to the situation, Lady Longbottom.”

She frowned a bit, doing a running tally on where her surviving family members were. It broke her heart to know how few they were in numbers now thanks to some of the beliefs some of them held.

“Arcturus is actually out of the country,” Callidora mused. “Pollux retired out of London for the moment to stay out of the way of the problems going on. His health hasn’t been the strongest lately. Cassiopeia is at the manor with him, helping Irma look after him since she has healer training. Last I heard, Lucretia and Ignatius were with their family since the loss of the twins. Given their unfortunate associations, the ones closest to Sirius’s age will have no desire to aid him.”

Her voice trailed off for a moment as she contemplated what needed to be done next to ensure that her charge’s godfather was not imprisoned falsely. If her cousin would not do what was right and be loyal to her own blood, then she would do it herself. This miscarriage of justice would not stand.

“Dumbledore has not spoken against this accusation in regards to my cousin?”

“No, my lady, he has not,” Darksteel informed her. “In fact, I was informed that he has indeed confirmed that Sirius Black was indeed the Potter’s secret keeper.”

“That man is going too far to see to it that his will is enforced and forgets that the innocent must be protected. Darksteel, I need Gringotts to work with the firm of Marchbanks and Wenlock to get the information regarding the Potter’s secret keeper out into the Wizengamot. Tell them to call in favors if they have to, even ones owed to the Black family. I want Sirius given a trial with the truth potion as quickly as possible, even if it means going to the press with the documentation. I will pay for this service and any expenses that occur, of course.”

“It will be done,” Darksteel promised, making notes. The goblins didn’t like it when their documentation was ignored; it was bad for business.

Callidora set the folder that Petunia had given her onto the table, shifting the weight of the drowsing child so that she could do so without waking him.

“I have the documentation for custody of Harkin James Potter, Head of the Ancient and Noble House of Potter and fifteenth Marquess of Orkney. It’s been signed properly as per the wishes of James and Lily Potter,” she said to them.

Bronzespear’s eyes gleamed as he took the folder, looking over it to ensure nothing had been missed.

“This legally sets you as both his caretaker and magical guardian,” the goblin informed her. “Which is good as Dumbledore has sent in paperwork to try to place himself as Lord Potter’s magical guardian, requesting the keys to the Potter vaults. He‘s trying to seal the wills of Lord and Lady Potter as we speak so we will have to move swiftly to circumvent him. With you having guardianship, this will make it easier to keep the wills open and have the reading of them soon.”

“The old man moves quickly,” she murmured, frowning slightly. “Why would he want access to the Potter vaults?”

“There’s an item he said that the prior Lord Potter agreed to allow him to borrow for a time,” Bronzespear answered, pulling the request in front of him. “One invisibility cloak that has been handed down since the time of Ignotus Peverell.”

“We can consider that request denied,” Callidora told him. “In fact, Harkin’s trust vault can be merged back with the main Potter vaults. I will see to it that he has everything he needs, and the money in the trust vault can be used to invest and draw interest with the rest of the fortune his family has worked hard for over the centuries. This way the only way anyone can access the Potter vaults outside of a goblin is with the Potter signet ring. That was recovered, I trust?”

“It was,” the goblin assured her. “Dumbledore has started funeral arrangements, but nothing has gone forward due to the fact that he is not blood related. The Ministry will not release their bodies to him because of that issue.”

Callidora was grateful that blood held more power over politics in this instance. The higher echelons of the Ministry knew that the Potters had relatives still living, which meant that the family would have the right to determine funerary arrangements for the deceased.

“Let me guess, he wishes to have them buried in the cemetery at Godric’s Hollow?”

Bronzespear nodded, fighting back an urge to grin at the look of anger on the Dowager Countess of Glastonbury’s face. 

“Absolutely not,” she answered coldly. “The fourteenth Marquess and Marchioness of Orkney will be buried with their ancestors at Teach na Laochra as is the custom of that line. I will not have their spirits disturbed for being laid to rest in the wrong soil nor will I allow their tombs to be used as a pilgrimage site so Dumbledore can use them as martyrs for his cause.”

“As you will it, my lady,” the goblin told her. “I will inform your attorney of your wishes and ensure they are carried out.”

“I will bring Harkin to Teach na Laochra at various times so he can study his history as well as train as his ancestors have. Otherwise, no one will have access to the grounds and during the funerary rites, no one may enter the keep.”

“I will make sure the Potter house elves are informed of this,” he told the witch. “There have been motions made to seal the cottage in Godric’s Hollow and turn it into a war memorial.”

Callidora frowned a bit, thinking on what Bronzespear had told her. A memorial wasn’t a bad idea but only if certain criteria had been met.

“It needs to be emptied and the contents placed in trust in the Potter vault for safekeeping. If the Ministry wishes to turn it into a memorial, they will need to negotiate for that. I’ll not have property stolen from the Potter estate simply because they feel it needs to be a memorial.”

“It will be done,” Bronzespear answered, agreeing with the woman’s orders so far. He was glad that James Potter had chosen her to look after his son and the interests of the Potter family. “I will bring this to the firm’s attention as well and ensure the young lord’s interests are well taken care of.”

“Good,” she said, settling her charge a bit more comfortably on her lap. “There’s a few other items that need clearing up. First, James mentioned a prophecy to me. I need to determine what the contents of the prophecy are and have it verified by the best goblin and centaur seers. If it’s false, then I will have more ammunition to use against Dumbledore and be able to keep my charge safe against any retaliation in the future.

“Second, I need Harkin examined by your healers to ensure that he has no injury or contamination in regards to what the Dark Lord did. I have a feeling the wretched Headmaster didn’t consider that when he brought the child to his aunt’s home.”

The three goblins looked at each other for a moment. The requests were unexpected, and they were angered at the idea that Dumbledore would have allowed a child to go unattended after facing such a horrible attack. They didn’t comment though as the Dowager Countess continued.

“Finally, after the funeral, which will be held after Sirius is taken care of, we will have the will reading here at Gringotts as per tradition. The Wizengamot cannot seal the wills if the magical guardian of the heir overrides their decision.”

She rose, shifting her charge in her arms as she did so. Gray eyes watched the trio for a moment before speaking again.

“Ironfist knows how I prefer things done and will work with the two of you to ensure that everything goes smoothly. Do not hesitate to contact me should any problems arise.”

Ironfist nodded, rising and bowing to the lady.

“We will contact you as soon as we have the healers lined up for the exam as well as finding out about the prophecy.”

“You have my thanks,” she answered back. “May our business continue to be prosperous and plentiful.”

Now that her business was concluded, Callidora Black Longbottom returned to her home and the new home of one Harkin James Potter. There was much still left to do, the witch knew, and she vowed again to ensure that her little cousin would be ready for whatever lay ahead of him.


	2. And So It Begins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note - It’s astounding how many hits and reviews I received for this story. I hadn’t expected such an amazing response to this, and it makes me smile every time I receive notification that the story made another reader intrigued enough to follow or favorite. Thank you to everyone who reviewed, followed, or put this story as a favorite. 
> 
> As far as pairings go, I have had requests for no slash and the like. I’m uncertain if there will be romance in this and if so, what the pairings will be. If it happens, I think it’ll go with the adults in the story as teenagers falling in love rarely make it. There’s been maybe one couple in my experience who stayed together until death parted them – my grandparents. I’m not saying it can’t happen, but I just feel there’s other things in the tale that need to be focused on first. If Harry finds someone, it may be in the epilogue. I hope my readers don’t mind this. I could change my mind between now and the end of the tale. We’ll see. Let me know your thoughts on this, please!
> 
> Regarding Harry’s name, I don’t see it being the name of a family that has a history in nobility. So I gave him a different first name where Harry can be used as a nickname. The name is Irish, meaning deep red or dark red. I see it as a tribute to his mother. 
> 
> Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter or even make money from this little story of mine. I wish I did own it because I’d have fixed a few things.

The Dowager Countess of Glastonbury slipped through the large doors that guarded the entryway of her home. Her cloak was taken by the head house elf, and Callidora acknowledged the bow with a gentle nod as the witch headed towards the parlor.

“Mimsy,” she called, focused on taking care of her ward’s needs. There was one house elf in her staff that would provide exactly what was required.

Within seconds, a female house elf clad in a maid’s uniform with the Longbottom crest appeared in front of her mistress.

“Mistress summoned Mimsy?”

“Yes, I need the nursery reopened and cleaned. Get as many elves as you need to get it done properly and swiftly. You have a new charge to look after,” the witch told the other, hiding a smile at the wide eyed look of glee.

“Mimsy has a baby to watch over?”

“Yes, you do but I am going to hold the elves to silence in regards to our new addition to the household,” she told the nursery elf. “The baby is Lord Harkin Potter, my cousin and the son of Lord James Potter.”

The house elf straightened up, realizing why the Longbottom elves needed to remain silent in regards to the presence of the child. Too many people would be looking for the boy.

“The house elves of the Ancient and Noble House of Longbottom will remain silent about who they are watching over, Mistress. We will ensure his safety, happiness, and wellbeing.”

“I know you will, Mimsy, and I trust the rest of the elves to do so as well. Now, get the nursery taken care of as quickly as you can. I imagine Harkin will be hungry and in need of a change soon.”

The elf brightened and nodded, happy to have someone to watch over. Nursery elves were very often lonely once their charges grew up and no longer needed them.

“Of course, Mistress. Mimsy will see to it immediately and take care of the Little Lord. Would Mistress like some tea?”

Callidora settled in a chair, relaxing for a moment as she contemplated the question. 

“I would like a cup of jasmine tea,” she instructed the elf, looking at the clock on the mantle. “Perhaps some toast as well. I left early and well before breakfast.”

“It will be done, Mistress,” Mimsy told her, bowing before disappearing to take care of what was needed before going to handle her charge.

Callidora got maybe half an hour of solitude once little Harkin was taken to be cleaned up and fed before the floo chimed at her. She sighed, getting to her feet and moving towards the fireplace. Her eyes widened when she spotted who it was.

“Augusta?”

“Mother, thank Merlin. I was afraid I wouldn’t catch you,” came the voice of Augusta Longbottom.

Knowing her daughter-in-law as she did, the older Longbottom dowager frowned and quickly questioned the woman.

“What happened?”

The tone of the woman answering told Callidora that she was frazzled, terrified, and angry. A combination that was unusual for Augusta as her daughter-in-law tended to be very reserved and didn’t show emotions typically.

“The Lestrange brothers as well as Bellatrix Lestrange broke into the house and tortured Frank and Alice early this morning,” she told the older witch. “I got a call from St. Mungo’s stating that they’d been admitted as well as Neville.”  
Grief and rage shook her for a moment before worry for her grandchildren took precedence. Her voice was soft and calm, knowing her daughter-in-law would need her strength to get through this trial.

“Any status reports on them?”

“Nothing yet, Mother,” she answered, sounding concerned and rather upset. 

“Right, give me a few moments and I’ll floo in. Be waiting for me,” Callidora told her, then backed away from the fireplace. After a few orders were given to her staff, she stepped through the floo and emerged into the waiting area of the hospital.

Augusta had been waiting near an entryway, watching everything with a tight expression that revealed very little. Only the older witch knew that her daughter-in-law was at the edge of control.

As she approached the younger witch, a healer called out the family name and both women went to see what the man had to say.

“My ladies,” he greeted. “Please follow me. We need to speak about your family and what needs to be done.”

Callidora braced herself, having a feeling the news was not good in regards to her grandchildren. One look at Augusta’s face told her that the younger woman was also steeling herself against bad news.

The healer led the women to a small office, offering them a seat before taking one himself. The man looked at the two witches, knowing the bulk of the news he had for them was not good. He hated this part of his job honestly.

“First, young Neville seems to be all right,” he told them. “He was hit with the Cruciatus Curse and, as near as we can determine, it was only once and not for a lengthy duration of time.”

“That curse has never been used on a child of his age that we know of,” Callidora told him. “Are there potential side effects?”

“Unknown,” the healer said. “Given his youth, the nerves that might have been damaged could heal in time as he grows. You’ll just have to observe him and get help if any signs do pop up.”

The Longbottom matriarch and her daughter-in-law nodded, knowing that Neville would be watched over carefully. At the nod, the healer continued.

“As far as Franklin and Alice, I’m afraid that I don’t have good news. They were held under multiple, prolonged Cruciatus curses and the damage is considerable. We’re going to do all we can for them, but they will need to be admitted into the Janus Thickey ward for long term care,” he told them.

Both the Dowager Countess and current Countess of Glastonbury paled at the news, hiding the devastation at the thought of the couple never being able to recover from the damage caused by the Unforgivable Curse that had been used on them. 

“You will see to it that they are given the best of care,” Callidora asked, keeping her voice steady through years of training.

“Of course,” he answered, bowing his head. “We know how important they are to your family as well as to the magical community.”

“When will my great grandson be discharged from your care?”

“We would like to keep him overnight for observation, just in case,” the man responded. “He will be ready to go home in the morning.”

The older witch rose gracefully to her feet, determined to see to her family and see for herself as to how they were doing.

“I would like to look in on them and spend some time with Neville,” she told him, not leaving it open for questioning.

“My lady, I would ask you to wait until we get your grandchildren stabilized first. You’re welcome to visit with young Neville and as soon as a visit with Franklin and Alice is possible, I’ll let you know.”

“Of course,” she told him. “Lead the way please. We’ll see our grandson now.”

The two that had been seated rose at her command to see Neville, and the healer led them to a small pediatric area. He ushered them into a small room and left them, closing the door so they could spend time privately with the child.

Once they were assured of privacy, Augusta sat down heavily, covering her face for a long moment. She and her son were close, and the news of this attack and its aftermath was one that was weighing her down.

“I don’t know what to do.”

The admission from her daughter-in-law made the older witch turn, facing the woman she had known since the day Augusta had been betrothed to her son, Beauchamp. 

“What do you mean, Augusta?”

“With my Franklin and his wife in hospital like this, I just don’t know what to do. Neville is so young,” she murmured.

Callidora understood the comment, remembering a conversation she’d had with her son not long ago. Beauchamp had been wanting to go and see his sister, Galatea, for some time now and had often spoken of traveling while his vision held out. He had suffered from a potions accident a few years ago and was steadily losing his eyesight as a result. None of the healers had managed to find a cure and given the circumstances, Beauchamp had asked her to handle the Longbottom affairs until he returned from the trip with his wife, which his mother had agreed to.

“Neville will come home with me,” she answered with a soft note of understanding in her voice.

Augusta looked up, wiping the hidden tears from her eyes. She had not expected the older witch to offer such a thing.

“Mother?”

The Matriarch drew her wand, casting a sophisticated silencing spell and privacy charm, before turning to face the other woman.

“I need your witch’s oath that what I tell you will not be repeated. In time, the whole family will be under the same oath.”

Curious, Augusta drew her wand, holding it at the proper position.

“I, Augusta Longbottom, Countess of Glastonbury, do swear upon my magic that what I am about to hear will never pass my lips or be communicated in anyway until I am given leave by my mother-in-law. So mote it be.”

A flare of light encompassed her, showing that magic had witnessed the oath and sealed it. While the woman put her wand away, Callidora shared the secret that had come to be hers to hold.

“I have custody of Lord Harkin Potter,” she told her companion, who stared at her for a long moment before speaking.

“James and Lily’s boy?”

“The very one,” she answered with a nod, then explained what had happened.

“Oh dear Merlin,” Augusta muttered. “I never liked that man and warned Franklin it would be better to move to the family manse instead of where Dumbledore said they’d be safe. I just knew the wards on that house wouldn’t be enough. I’ll be willing to bet my hat that the old codger was hoping something like this would happen in case our Neville is the one in his so-called prophecy and not the Potter child.”

“Yes but he underestimated that Neville would have two strong grandmothers behind him, determined to keep him and his cousin safe,” Callidora agreed. “And that will be the old coot’s downfall in the end. I will take Neville in and raise him along with Harkin as brothers. I will count on you, Galatea, and Beauchamp to come by and spend time with them so they know the other members of the family. The few members of the Black family that I trust will also help with their education and giving them a well rounded family experience as well.”

“Of course, Mother, we’ll help wherever we can. Are you sure you can handle this alone? I know Algie and Enid would help where they can, but Algie can be a bit eccentric at times.”

Callidora laughed, reminded of her daughter-in-law’s family. Algie was incredibly eccentric and would keep the boys entertained when he visited. 

“True, he is that. If things go well, I will have Sirius close at hand to lend his aid, though it must be done carefully.”

“True, the old codger will be watching him if things go in your favor and Sirius is cleared. Especially once the Potter wills are unsealed as well,” Augusta murmured.

“I have no doubt he’ll have high suspicions as to where Harkin will be. However, Albus Dumbledore was not invited to the reading so he will have no reason to think that his little pawn will have slipped through his fingers,” she answered. “Even with the wills unread, he would not be able to control the Potter seat in the Wizengamot since he is not the assigned magical guardian. He won’t like that much,” she said with a wicked grin.

“It’ll be a cloistered life for them,” the younger one pointed out, worrying about the isolation.

“I’ll have a chat with a few that I know,” Callidora told her daughter-in-law. “While Septimus can be trusted, I’m not so certain about Molly and her group. Which is a shame considering Lucretia and Ignatius have been nothing but loving to their niece and nephews. My cousin took Gideon and Fabian’s losses very hard.”

Augusta nodded, thinking on the situation. Her voice was gentle as she looked back at the older witch.

“Most purebloods keep their heirs isolated from society for the most part so keeping Neville somewhat separated from the public will not draw comment. It’s not as if he’d be growing up alone either. The boys would have each other.”

“They will indeed,” Callidora said with a soft smile. “It’ll be just fine.”

The conversation slowed to a lull, which was eventually interrupted by the healers. The two women were sent home, knowing visiting hours were coming to an end and Callidora had her own charge to get back to.

When the Dowager Countess came home, the head elf was ready to greet her and provide the messages of the floo calls she had missed. She nodded as she headed towards her private study, the elf at her heels.

“So what did I miss, Toppy?”

“Mistress received a floo call from Tobias Marchbanks,” the elf informed her as they entered her study. “Mr. Marchbanks said to tell Mistress that he has received the instructions and paperwork from Gringotts and has already begun to gain the allies needed in the Wizengamot without alerting Dumbledore or Crouch in what’s trying to be done. Mr. Marchbanks said that a trial should be presented possibly in a day or two, and he will call in a favor with Minister Bagnold in order to see it done. He will floo back with any further information as he receives it.”

“Good,” she responded, sitting at her desk. “Was there anything else?”

“Yes Mistress. The Gringotts’ goblin, Bronzespear, also called to say that the house elves at Teach na Laochra have been contacted and instructed them in regards to funeral arrangements. He also spoke with the head house elf, and a team of house elves are currently emptying the cottage in Godric’s Hollow with the instructions to bring everything to Bronzespear for inventory. Anything damaged will be repaired and stored within the young lord’s vault for him to look over once he is of age. As for the cottage itself, Bronzespear said to inform Mistress that Mr. Tobias Marchbanks is of the same mindset as Mistress in regards to converting it into a war memorial. Both Mr. Marchbanks and Gringotts will represent the Potter Lord’s interest and make an offer to the Ministry when the time is right.”

Callidora looked very pleased with the events as they were unfolding so far. She hoped that no snags would be caused to slow things down.

“That is excellent news, Toppy. I need you to inform the other houses within the Longbottom estate that we are in mourning for the traditional period for the loss of Marquess and Marchioness. I expect the houses to follow through and show the proper etiquette for this.”

Toppy bowed his head, knowing his mistress would definitely observe protocol considering the family ties.

“Toppy has already had the other elves pull out the funerary colors and ensure they were clean and ready for Mistress’s command.”

“A step ahead of me as usual, Toppy,” she said with a soft smile. “I also need Mimsy to be informed that she will have a second charge added to her care and will be brought to the nursery tomorrow morning.”

Large eyes blinked at her, surprised by that announcement.

“Toppy shall do so, Mistress. May Toppy ask who is coming to bless this family with their presence?”

“My great grandson, Neville, will be released from the hospital tomorrow. You may inform the staff that Master Franklin and Mistress Alice were harmed during an attack and will remain at St. Mungo’s hospital for some time yet. I need you to go through the elves bonded to the estate and pick three or four to ensure that my grandson and his wife are tended to properly. They will keep on rotation so that no one is worn out and ensure Franklin and Alice receive extra care and protection.”

The elf looked very distressed at that. All of the elves that served the Longbottom family were very fond of their masters and mistresses. Master Franklin and Mistress Alice were very special people and to know they had been hurt like this was a devastating thing to all of them.

“Toppy will do so, Mistress. We all hope for their recovery.”

“So do I, Toppy; so do I. For now, we have to focus on the things at hand and keep our charges safe and happy. Since there will be two children under the age of two, make sure Mimsy has help at hand for cleaning as well as watching over the boys. They’ll be reaching a difficult age fairly quickly, and I’m sure an extra set of hands will not go amiss.”

“Toppy will be seeing it done, Mistress.”

Callidora nodded, reaching for her quill. She knew the house elf was very dedicated to his position and would ensure everything was taken care of.

Toppy left his mistress to her correspondence, knowing she would call for assistance if she needed it.

Once alone, the gray eyes closed as tears slid down her cheeks. The Longbottom matriarch wept for the losses that had occurred, knowing that her grandson and granddaughter-in-law would never recover from what the Lestrange siblings and Bellatrix had done. The burden of pain was heavier knowing that Bellatrix, a blood relation to the Longbottom family, had done this.

The witch grieved in silence for a while before pulling herself together and erased all evidence of the mourning she had done. Callidora closed her eyes against the headache the weeping had given her, breathing in slowly as she did so. There was a lot to be done, and it grieved her to know she had to handle so much of this right now. 

With a sigh, she picked up her quill and began writing letters to the remaining members of the Black family. She informed them of the death of their family members, the Potters, as well as the fact that Bellatrix had gone against her own kin in using curses against them. Despite the family’s odd leanings at times, family was important. 

Callidora had plans for Bellatrix, which hinged on Sirius being cleared. She also had plans for the Lestrange brothers, and the Dowager Countess would not be denied this at all. Revenge would be bittersweet, she mused to herself.

Her letter writing was interrupted by her house elf appearing within her private study.

“I am sorry for disturbing you, Mistress, but you have a visitor,” the elf informed her.

“Who is it, Toppy,” she asked, setting her quill down after signing the last letter and sealing it. 

“Minister Bagnold, Mistress, and she seemed rather insistent on speaking with you,” he replied, knowing that his mistress wanted to speak with said minister.

“I see,” she murmured, rising gracefully. “Escort her to the formal sitting room and offer her tea, then let her know I shall be with her in a few moments. Also, tell Daisy that I need a black dress with appropriate accessories to be laid out for me to change,” she ordered, knowing it would be done.

Toppy agreed and headed out to fulfill her orders while the woman went up to her suite to change clothing and make sure her face showed no signs of the grieving she had done earlier. When she entered her bedroom, she found that her personal elf had laid out the apparel as requested.

Callidora changed clothing, making sure to keep her jewelry simple to reflect the mourning status of the family, and then went to greet her guest. In truth, she was eager for this conversation because she wanted to make a few changes as well as try to rip the rug out from beneath quite a few people’s feet with what she had to tell the Minister of Magic.

Minister Millicent Bagnold looked tired as she rose to greet her hostess when the matriarch entered the room. She gave a light curtsy to the Dowager Countess, who nodded in response and took her seat.

“Welcome to my home, Minister,” the older woman said in a soft but easily heard voice. Her hands were graceful as she poured the tea, offering it to her guest, who accepted the cup gratefully.

“Thank you, my lady,” the stressed woman responded, doctoring her tea up before taking a long sip. She set the cup down with a soft sigh, looking over at the gray eyed woman. “Before I begin, I offer my condolences to the losses your family has experienced. I am grateful that your great grandson will be able to return home soon.”

“Thank you, Minister Bagnold,” Callidora replied. “I was grievously shocked by what happened to my grandchildren and am doubly more so with the loss of the Potters as well as the happenings with Sirius Black.”

The Minister of Magic frowned for a moment, collecting her thoughts after the mention of the Potters.

“I had forgotten the Longbottoms were related to the Potters,” she said, brushing a short lock of hair out of her eyes.

“Yes, through me,” the older woman answered. “Dorea and I were cousins, and I was very fond of James and Lily. They visited me quite often together after their marriage, and Harkin was always fun to spoil when I got to see him. Sirius thought the same as well.”

“Which makes it difficult to believe that he betrayed the Potters by giving their secret to You-Know-Who,” Millicent replied. “Which is one of the reasons I am here. I was told by your attorneys that you had some issues you wanted to talk to me about away from ears that shouldn’t be listening?”

Callidora set her tea cup down, nodding as she did so. This was the opening she badly needed.

“Yes, I do have several issues that need addressing. First and foremost is my cousin, Sirius Black. He was not the Potter’s secret keeper.”

“Good Merlin, my lady, are you sure of this? I have it on good authority that he was the one Lord Potter trusted with the Fidelius charm,” the Minister said, looking very startled by the news she’d been given.

“If said information came from one Headmaster of Hogwarts, I would take anything he tells you with great caution,” she advised. “I have documented proof that Lord Potter left with his goblin account manager. It states that Sirius was not the secret keeper and explains why they did not announce this fact. Dumbledore had to have known this because he cast the charm himself.”

The startled look faded into a nauseated expression as the female government official contemplated what she had been told. Her hostess had no reason to hide the truth from her or mislead her in any way.

“Inform your attorney that Lord Black’s trial will begin tomorrow morning at seven,” she said. “He will be the first in a long series of trials to be had. I was going to let Crouch take care of this, but it seems I need to keep a firmer hold on things as I know Dumbledore has his ear. I don’t take kindly to being lied to.”

“I will do so,” she said to her, pleased with the show of the iron will the minister needed to get through these troubling times. “Might I make a suggestion, Minister?”

“Please do,” the woman answered. “I will gladly take any suggestion you have to offer as I know you will not mislead me.”

“You have my word as a witch that I will not do so,” Callidora answered. “My advice to you is this. Use veritaserum in every case. No one, not even accomplished Occlumens, can withstand the potion. Do not let anyone wearing the Dark Mark within England leave the Ministry without being put on trial. Also, there’s a bit of information you should know before the trials begin.”

Millicent nodded, leaning forward to listen. The use of the truth potion was a good idea, and the woman had no desire to allow any Death Eater out of her clutches without a trial first.

“What information is that, my lady?”

“After Regulus Black died, I took it upon myself to investigate marks such as the ones Voldemort used and found that you have to take such oaths willingly, meaning the Imperius curse could not have been used to force them into it.

“That doesn’t mean some of them were not blackmailed into taking the mark, so you will have to question each one shrewdly, Minister. Others, like Regulus, might have recanted within their minds and worked to try to bring Voldemort down.”

The overwhelmed Minister looked even more so for a moment before her resolve hardened.

“I’ve half a mind to have the convicted Death Eater that took the mark freely and did not recant before Voldemort’s fall Kissed immediately.”

“To be honest, most of the Wizengamot would very much agree with you,” Callidora answered. “Voldemort made those of dark magical alignment look very bad indeed, and the turmoil has damaged a lot in the way of the economy. Add to the point that there are rituals that could prevent the madman from dying completely. If you have the convicted ones Kissed, he has a limited power base to return to, if he returns at all.”

“The idea of him coming back is sickening, so I hope the worry is just that, a worry that has no foundation to it. I will be calling the Wizengamot together tomorrow morning for the trials,” the younger woman told her hostess. “I know Dumbledore will try to speak up, but I have plans to handle that. Will your son be there?”

“Beauchamp is leaving the country soon to see my daughter,” Callidora informed her. “I will be there to speak for the Longbottom family as well as handle any votes that are called.”

“Good, I’m glad. Is there anything I can do to repay you for this information and the advice you’ve offered,” Millicent asked her.

“There are two things I will need assistance with,” the Longbottom matriarch replied. “First, the Lestrange brothers and my treacherous cousin, Bellatrix, need to pay for what was done to my grandchildren and great grandson.”

A cold look crossed the Minister’s face when she thought about what had been done to an innocent child.

“Oh I can guarantee that the Ancient and Noble House of Longbottom will receive generous compensation from the House of Lestrange,” she told Callidora. “And the second request?”

“This is actually a multiple part one in regards to my cousin, Lord Harkin Potter,” she replied. “First off, before anything is said, I am magically and legally his guardian. Albus Dumbledore will be trying to claim that position, and both Lily and James made arrangements so that his desires in this won’t happen. That being said, I am not going to let it be known that I am Harkin’s magical guardian. The Potter vote will not be available to Dumbledore nor am I going to give him suspicions that his manipulations are falling apart on him. Wills read or not, magic knows who should be holding the vote for the House of Potter.” 

Millicent Bagnold looked even more sickened as she recalled a conversation she’d had just hours ago.

“I asked him hours ago about Lord Potter’s placement, and he assured me that he’d placed him in a home behind the strongest wards possible and would be taken care of. He never mentioned what Lord James or Lady Lily wanted in regards to their son if the unthinkable happened to them,” she said, hand to her mouth. “Have the wills been opened?”

“Rest assured, things are as they should be. Everything is in hand,” Callidora reassured the upset woman. “The Potter heir is in a safe place, and the legal matters are being taken care of. I just need your help in diverting Dumbledore’s attention away from me.”

“Consider it done, my lady, and I will make no decisions regarding the Potter estate without consulting you or your attorneys,” the younger lady answered the one who had advised her.

“I appreciate that. Dumbledore has begun the process of having their Wills sealed as well as having the cottage in Godric’s Hollow turned into a monument of sorts,” Callidora began. “I need him to believe that the Wills were sealed.”

“Again, it will be done,” Millicent said in answer. “As to the monument, I will ensure that the Potter Estate is paid above the current market value for the house and grounds. Has it been emptied of personal effects? I don’t wish for Lord Potter to lose any mementos of his parents.”

“It’s being seen to now,” she told her. “Again, the lawyers and Gringotts will handle all of this. They are very discrete.”

“Good,” the Minister muttered. “I cannot believe what that crazy old coot is trying to do. I am going to have to clean house in regards to the Ministry because I know You-Know-Who wasn’t the only one to try to infiltrate there.”

“I do not envy you that task, Minister, but I do wish you the best of luck.”

The younger woman rose, smiling grimly as she did so.

“You have my thanks, Lady Longbottom, for the wonderful tea and chat. I will see you tomorrow morning at seven.”

Callidora rose, giving her a partial smile as she replied to the other woman’s comment. Her duty for now was done, and she was delighted with the results so far.

“I shall be there,” she reassured her, walking the Minister to the floo. “After all, we have a great deal of rebuilding to do.”

“That we do, my lady. That we do. Once again, I thank you and offer my condolences for the losses you have gone through.”

With that, Millicent went back to her office, leaving a satisfied Dowager Countess to make a few floo calls to begin preparing for tomorrow’s events. There was much to get done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s End Note – I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter; it was a lot of fun to work on. Please let me know what you think of it. If you are a reader on AFF and wish to know when stories are updated, check my profile as my yahoo group URL is posted there. Have a great one and thanks for reading! ~Laran


	3. Trials

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note – You guys are brilliant, simply brilliant. The reviews I’ve received have been amazing, and I hope I continue to please as this story unfolds. I do know it seems that Callidora is thwarting Dumbledore at all turns, but it will even up eventually to make the plot more interesting. In regards to the issue with Regulus, please be patient. I’ll resolve that issue in a few more chapters, I promise, and I thank that reviewer for pointing that fact out. I wasn’t able to answer you as you’ve got your account set so that messages can’t be sent.
> 
> Without further drama, here’s the next chapter. I hope you all enjoy it!
> 
> Disclaimer – I do not own “Harry Potter” nor do I make any money from this story. I just enjoy manipulating the characters for my own evil enjoyment.

For such an early hour of the morning, the Ministry of Magic was very full of activity as people went to the assigned courtroom to begin the trials for every Death Eater that had been apprehended. Some of them had given names of other members of Voldemort’s group as soon as they had been caught, hoping to avoid a serious punishment. Once those names had been written down, aurors had been dispatched to bring them in, resulting in very full holding cells.

Callidora Longbottom, clad in a morning dress and robes of the finest black silk, waited in the seat her son usually sat in during meetings and trials. Beauchamp and Augusta were taking Neville to her home and then heading out to take the trip that he’d been wanting to leave on for some time. She didn’t mind taking her son’s position and despite the early hour, the Dowager countess was actually looking forward to what would happen today.

Gray eyes watched as the Headmaster of Hogwarts entered the chambers, looking rather flamboyant in his obnoxiously colored robes. She could not believe he would wear such things given the solemn circumstances that were happening today. Judging from the expressions on her fellow Wizengamot members, the rest of the group was not exactly thrilled with the man’s attire or demeanor.

Callidora knew she had been spotted by the man but before he could move to speak with her, Minister Bagnold came in and addressed the assembled body before the courtroom could fill with viewers and attorneys.

“I thank the Wizengamot for coming this morning, and I will be brief considering the amount of cases we have to listen to,” she told the group. “Due to the current state of affairs, I am extending the wartime status we have been under for some time and am also enacting Article Eleven, which states that during trials held within wartime status, the Wizengamot is there to observe and give a guilty/not guilty verdict. The questioning shall be done by the Minister alone,” she informed them, watching the expressions on the witches and wizards’ faces. “Now, let us allow the people in so we can call the first case.”

The Longbottom Matriarch hid her pleasure behind a calm expression as she viewed the look on Dumbledore’s face. It was blatantly obvious that the man was highly displeased with what the Minister had done, knowing he would not be able to influence the proceedings at all. The Article Bagnold had enacted meant that nothing could be done until she released the Ministry from its current status of being at war.

Millicent Bagnold moved to her table, gesturing for the assembled aurors to open the doors to allow the people into courtroom. After everyone was settled, she addressed the new group.

“The trials will begin momentarily; I have enacted Article Eleven in light of keeping things moving in a swift but fair manner,” she told them. “You are allowed to observe the proceedings in order to report the events to the rest of the magical world, but there will be no noise or drama. I will not hesitate to eject troublemakers so consider yourselves warned. Aurors are on stand by to enforce my decision.”

Callidora watched as the court officers began the proceedings, hiding her pleasure when she spotted Walburga in the audience. That meant her letters had been received, and the family was supporting her as best as they could under the circumstances.

“The first case is now being called,” came the words of the court bailiff. “The Ministry of Magic against Sirius Black, heir to the House of Black.”

It was a toss up as to what caused the low stir from the audience when her cousin’s case was announced. Either it was his name or his appearance, not that it mattered a great deal to Callidora. She was pleased to see that her instructions had been followed to the letter, which she could tell when her cousin entered the courtroom.

Tobias Marchbanks had been at the prison area hours before the trials were scheduled to begin and had been allowed to see Sirius Black to inform him of the situation. A letter, penned by Callidora, had been given to the man to read, which contained a terse explanation and set of orders that he was to follow. She pretty much had informed him of what he needed to do and that she had taken care of issues that were important to his heart. Sirius, knowing Callidora was one of his better family members, had agreed to the conditions and listened carefully to the attorney’s follow up advice.

Gray eyes held a muted look of satisfaction when the young man entered the courtroom, looking calm and collected. Thanks to her foresight, he was dressed in a nice suit and silk robes, both in black to reflect the state of mourning for the House of Black. His hair was tied back neatly from his face, giving him the regal appearance that would help with what had been planned.

“Sirius Black, you are being brought before this court today to answer to the charges of murder and treason,” the Minister told the man after he stood in front of the chair where the accused would sit. “You will be given veritaserum and answer the questions given to you. Do you understand?”

“I understand, Madam Minister,” he answered in a low voice, sitting when ordered to do so. Sirius opened his mouth as a potions master, a trusted member of the Bagnold family, instructed him to do so and was given the required drops needed to put him under the potion’s influence.

“What is your name,” the potions master asked, testing to see if the potion had taken hold yet.

“Sirius Orion Black,” the scion of the House of Black answered in a soft monotone voice.

“What House were you sorted into during your time at Hogwarts,” the master asked again, verifying the results.

“Gryffindor,” he responded.

The potions master turned to the minister, giving a small bow as he reported his findings to her.

“He is under the serum’s influence and is ready for questioning, Madam Minister.”

“Thank you,” she answered, rising to her feet as she focused her attention on the accused in front of her. “Sirius Black, were you ever a Death Eater?”

“No, I am not nor was I ever,” he answered.

“Were you the secret keeper for Lord James Potter’s family,” she asked him, going straight to the heart of the matter.

“No, I was not,” he told her, causing a mild stir behind him that was hushed by a sharp glare from the woman.

“Who was the secret keeper?”

“Peter Pettigrew,” Sirius answered her. “He was chosen because no one would think James would trust him with something of that magnitude.”

“That is why you went after him?”

“Yes, I was going to make the rat pay for what he had done.”

Millicent nodded, going into her next question. She wanted to get this over with, knowing the man was innocent of what he’d been arrested for.

“Did you kill the muggles that were on the street when you cornered Peter Pettigrew?”

“No, I did not. I was about to hex him when he cut his finger off and used a dark blasting hex on a gas line,” he answered. “He turned into a rat and scurried off while I was disoriented from the explosion.”

“Turned into a rat?”

“Yes, he is an animagus and his form is that of a rat,” the Black heir told her. “He was able to use that form to escape the aurors when they arrived.”

Well that made things a bit more challenging, she thought to herself, making notes to give to the auror division. The Minister wanted Pettigrew found and brought to justice for what he had done.

“Administer the antidote,” she told the potions master, who was quick to obey her order. Once the potion was out of his system, the woman looked to the silent man before turning to the Wizengamot.

“There is no proof of any wrong doing on the part of Sirius Orion Black, and I move for a dismissal of all charges. Agreed?”

A vast majority of the wands lit up with a green glow, telling the Minister that her recommendation was approved. She gave them a small bow before turning back to the waiting man.

“Sirius Orion Black, you have been cleared of all charges and are free to go. Please accept the apologies of this court as well as the Ministry of Magic for the treatment you have endured. You also have my sincere condolences for the losses you have sustained and my personal assurance that we will bring the traitor to justice,” she told him.

Sirius rose, giving her a light bow before breaking his silence.

“I accept your apologies and sympathies, Madam Minister. If I may beg a few moments of this assembled body’s time?”

“Of course,” the woman answered, knowing that this had to be something Callidora had probably suggested to her cousin. Given the circumstances, she could give the man a few moments to do whatever it was he needed to do.

He bowed once again, giving her a smile before straightening up. The heir to the House of Black accepted his wand, which had been offered to him by an auror once the Minister had declared the man innocent.

“I, Sirius Orion Black, heir to the Noble and Ancient House of Black, do hereby claim the title left to me by my deceased father, Lord Orion Black,” he called out, wand gleaming brightly as his magic called out while he spoke the ritual words.

An ebony box, bearing the seal of the Black family, appeared on the table in front of the Minister. The woman rose, carrying the box to him. She waited in silence as he opened it and removed a signet ring from the velvet lining that it had rested in.

As Callidora watched, Sirius placed the heavy white gold ring onto his right hand and the signet glowed hotly before cooling. That the man was still alive and the ring was still on his hand was proof that he had been deemed worthy. When the glow died down, both Callidora and Walburga rose from their seated positions and sank into a curtsy, paying tribute to the new lord of their house.

Sirius turned when Callidora raised her head, nodding towards where his mother was. A look of surprise and then soft happiness settled into his eyes for a moment when he realized that his surviving parent had come to his trial and was now showing her support for him.

“Viscount Black of Dyntagell,” the Minister addressed him, pulling him from his thoughts. “Your seat amongst your peers of the Wizengamot awaits you.”

“Thank you, Madam Minister,” he answered, striding up to the raised area where the Wizengamot sat. It didn’t take much time before he was seated beside Callidora, showing unity amongst the family.

“Nicely done,” the older woman whispered in a voice that was too low for anyone but her cousin to hear.

“Thank you, cousin,” he whispered in return, then softly told her that he would hear the rest of her story after the session was over. There was a lot to be shared, Sirius knew, and he hoped that things would continue to go well as it had so far today.

The two sat there, listening to the interrogations as each case was presented to the Minister and Wizengamot. There were a few rare ones that had been blackmailed into becoming a Death Eater and had shared with the group that they had tried to do the bare minimum so that their families wouldn’t be harmed. Those were the ones that received clemency when sentenced, usually in a form of community service in order to allow them a chance to rebuild the faith between themselves and the public.

The first of the more interesting cases was that of Severus Snape, Potions Apprentice and most recently, spy for Albus Dumbledore. Callidora knew of the animosity that her cousin held for the man and had spoken harshly to him about it multiple times over the years as she felt the harassment bordered the hatred their family held for muggles. 

The veritaserum was applied by the potions master and once the usual vague expression overtook the prisoner’s face, the floor was given to the Minister of Magic.

“State your name.”

“Severus Tobias Snape,” the ebon haired male answered.

“What was the House you were sorted into during your time at Hogwarts?”

“Slytherin,” the flat voice intoned.

The potions master turned to the Minister, who rose once again to begin the questioning.

“Severus Snape, are you a Death Eater?”

“I am marked as one,” he answered. 

The answer was rather telling in a way, Callidora mused. It seemed the young man didn’t identify himself as a Death Eater, which told her that the boy must have been forced into it somehow. Apparently, Minister Bagnold shared her opinion due to her next question for Snape.

“Did you willingly take the mark?”

“No, I did not.”

Millicent remained focused on him, determined to find out why such an intelligent and talented brewer would wreck his future like this.

“Why did you take it?”

“To keep my best friend and sister from being killed due to her blood status.”

She tilted her head, having heard rumors of the bond he’d shared with a certain former lady.

“You speak of Lady Potter, am I correct?”

“Yes, Minister, I do.”

“Why do you call her sister? From what I understand, Lady Potter had only one sibling and that was a sister, not a brother.”

Severus softly revealed something that only a small amount of people knew.

“Lily and I performed a blood bonding ceremony before we started Hogwarts. My mother had the information on the ritual, which we performed once we realized there was a possibility of us being separated depending on the outcome of the Sorting. We both wanted confirmation that nothing could split us up.”

Judging from the sound Sirius made, it was obvious to Callidora that he had not known of the status between the two friends. She would have to ensure that her cousin made amends when the time was right.

“What actions did you take during your time since you were marked?”

“I was instructed to gain my potions mastery as swiftly as possible,” he replied. “My half blood status created some friction within the ranks until my mother’s lineage was discovered. I was left alone after that as He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named required my time be spent in study and brewing.”

“Do you have any loyalty to Voldemort?”

“No, I do not and would do all I could to bring him down.”

Bagnold nodded, gesturing for the antidote to be administered. Once she knew the man was free of its influence, she spoke.

“Given you were coerced into taking the Mark, I will grant you clemency. You will spend five years in community service, finishing your potions mastery with the Brewers Guild at St. Mungos. Once the mastery is gained, you will spend time brewing potions needed for the hospital as well as researching possible cures for afflictions that have no remedies at this time. Any new potions you create will be registered to you,” she said to him. 

Callidora could see Dumbledore fume for a moment before calming himself. She hid a smirk, looking towards the young man being sentenced. Somehow, she had a feeling they had kept the Headmaster from using the grieving young man.

“I understand, Madam Minister, and thank you for this chance,” Snape said, bowing politely before he was dismissed.

The Longbottom matriarch said nothing as the next name was called. This would be a challenge for both families involved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s End Note – Now who is next on the stand? We will find out soon enough! I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter. Please let me know what you thought of it and if you’re reading on a site that doesn’t give update alerts, look at my profile for my yahoo group link. I post notifications there. See everyone next chapter, Laran.


	4. Trials and Progress

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note – Thank you so much for your patience with the length of time between updates for this story and others. Real life has been hugely stressful due to health issues, my grandfather and his problems, and then my dad decided to spring a huge and horrible surprise right before the holidays by filing for divorce from my mother. The motivation to write has been practically nonexistent. 
> 
> I wanted to say that I do appreciate all of the reviews left for this story. You guys are utterly amazing!
> 
> Disclaimer – I do not own “Harry Potter.” I simply love playing with the characters and changing things around.

“The prosecution calls forth Bellatrix Lestrange,” the court secretary called. Callidora looked over at Sirius, noticing that he had a look on his face that told her he was going to see to it that the plan was successful. She had been extremely thorough in the letter she had sent him through her attorney, and it seemed like her cousin would follow the ideas she’d penned to him.

 

The only sign the Longbottom matriarch gave to her feelings when Bellatrix was brought out was that her hand tightened on the arm of her chair. Sirius covered his hand with hers, squeezing gently to reassure her. He also gave his own mother a subtle look of sympathy, knowing Walburga would not be happy with the actions of their family member.

The prisoner snarled at her guards, struggling to get free. It was obvious something had snapped within the woman, and it broke Callidora’s heart to see it. She hated that certain members of her family had come to this level of insanity. The dowager watched in silence as it took four guards to hold her down for the potions master to apply the veritaserum.

“What is your name,” the male asked her, testing the potion on the obviously insane female.

“Bellatrix Black Lestrange,” she replied, voice dull as the potion worked on its target.

“The House you were sorted into,” he queried.

“Slytherin,” the prisoner answered, and he turned towards the minister.

“She is ready for questioning, Madam Minister” the potions master informed her, stepping aside so the interrogation could be done.

“Bellatrix Lestrange, are you a Death Eater,” Millicent asked, watching the woman with a gaze that missed nothing

“I am,” she answered, voice still flat.

“Did you take the Dark Mark willingly?”

“I did,” the woman replied, unaware of the turmoil her answer caused her family.

“Did you attack the Longbottom family?”

“I did,” she told the minister, who felt sick. Blood was important to most families, pure blood or not, and to attack family was one of the worst things someone could to do.

“Did you use the Cruciatus Curse on Franklin Longbottom, Alice Longbottom, and Neville Longbottom?”

“Yes,” Bellatrix answered truthfully.

“Why did you attack them,” Minster Bagnold asked the woman.

“I wanted news on where my Lord was. He’d gone to attack the Potters and disappeared, leaving no trace as to where he could be. Since the Longbottoms were friends with the Potters, I felt they would know.”

“Who came up with the plan to attack the Longbottom home?”

“I did,” she replied.

“Administer the antidote,” Millicent instructed and once it was done, she looked at the wild eyed woman.

“For the charge of treason against the crown, against the ministry, and conspiracy to violate the Statute of Secrecy, I determine Bellatrix Black Lestrange to be guilty. For the charge of the use of Unforgiveables, I determine Bellatrix Black Lestrange to be guilty. For the charges of assault against Franklin and Alice Longbottom, I determine Bellatrix Black Lestrange to be guilty. For the charge of assault against the minor, Neville Longbottom, I determine Bellatrix Black Lestrange to be guilty.

“If the members of the Wizengamot agree, please indicate with a green light and disagreement will be indicated by a red light. Please light your wands now.”

Nearly all of the wands within the assembled body of wizards shone with a green light, and there were very few naysayers in the group. Sirius held up his hand to alert the minister that he wished to speak, and she nodded.

“The Wizengamot agrees in a majority vote,” the Minister declared. “Bellatrix Black Lestrange, you have been found guilty on all counts. Before your sentencing, I recognize the Viscount Dyntagell and allow him the floor.”

The Black lord rose to his feet, gray eyes focused on his cousin as he did so. There was no shred of compassion on his face, and it was obvious that it rattled the crazed witch.

“Bellatrix Black Lestrange, you have betrayed the greatest rule of our family by your actions against the Longbottoms as well as not lending your aid to the Potters. Upon their majority, all of those of that carry the blood of the Blacks swear to never harm a member of our bloodline, and you have violated that oath. According to our vows, the Longbottoms are untouchable due to Callidora Black Longbottom’s marriage into the family and the Potters were untouchable due to Dorea Black Potter’s marriage into that noble line. By your actions, you are now declared traitor to our line.

“I, Sirius Orion Black, Viscount Dyntagell, do hereby declare the marriage between Bellatrix Black Lestrange to be null and void. The properties that were a part of her dowry will be returned to the Black Estate, and the monetary portion of her dowry will be held in trust for the Longbottom heir, Neville Longbottom, as the House of Black will ensure the future generations of our family will be forever taken care of. By my magic and the magic of our Ancient and Noble House, I do hereby remove you from the family. No longer shall you be a Black through blood or magic. As I will it, so mote it be.”

Bellatrix gave an outraged shriek when she felt the family magic leave her, knowing that had been a boost in her magic and a boon to her Lord. When he came back, she would have little to offer him due to her penniless state.

Sirius turned back to Bagnold, giving her a slight bow. He was satisfied by what was done, honoring the victims of the attack on the Longbottom family as well as his former cousin’s traitorous acts to her own House. It felt good to know that she had been dealt with.

“Thank you for your time, Madam Minister.”

“You are most welcome, my lord,” she replied, then turned to the fuming woman. “Bellatrix, formerly of the House of Black, you have been found guilty on all charges laid against you. Due to the severity of your crimes, your wand will be snapped and you shall be given the Dementor’s Kiss.”

“Surely there is no need for such actions to be taken,” Dumbledore commented, infuriating Millicent with his arrogance.

“You are out of line,” she warned the headmaster. “As I stated, Article Eleven is in effect which grants the Wizengamot one vote only and that is guilty or not guilty. Now, guard, we shall see her punishment carried out.”

The wand of the witch was brought to the Minister, who had it weighed to confirm it was the wand of the crazed woman and once it was verified, she took the slender stick and snapped it. The pieces were handed to her assistant, who threw them into the fire that was burning in a small fireplace behind them.

At her nod, a guard brought a Dementor into the room and everyone watched as the condemned prisoner’s soul was sucked out and feasted upon. Even those of the best emotional control had to fight to keep their expressions neutral as this was performed in front of them.

It hurt Callidora to lose a member of her family but knew this was the right thing to do. Bellatrix had betrayed her blood, and that was all there was to it. She knew of one other of their blood that had gotten involved with Voldemort, and she truly hoped that the woman had not done it voluntarily. It would be a devastating blow to the family if she had done it willingly.

The next few trials were fairly rudimentary. They had been members of the Inner Circle of Voldemort’s followers, having taken the dark mark willingly, and confessed to a number of horrid crimes. It was appalling to think that at least one of them had been a part of the Ministry, and the Longbottom dowager could tell that Bagnold was not pleased with this information at all. She had a feeling that policies were going to be scrapped and new ones put into place regarding anyone who wished to be employed at the Ministry of Magic.

The last two trials were important to the Black family. Narcissa had gone first and had reported that she had not taken the mark as Voldemort had wanted a few followers that would be able to blend in anywhere to do any task he thought of. She had only served him to keep her family safe, and that had been in a minor way. The woman had played hostess to the fallen dark lord as well as other death eaters, and she had also hosted charity galas that had funded Voldemort’s activities. 

Callidora and Sirius were both stunned at the stories that Narcissa told of how the unmarked women were threatened and even tortured at times with the Cruciatus curse when Voldemort needed to keep their husbands in line. The woman had lost a baby she had carried before becoming pregnant with Draco. 

Bagnold listened to everything and then offered a judgment that was found to be acceptable by all. Baroness Malfoy would be required to help with charities that would benefit the widows and orphans of the victims of Voldemort’s Death Eaters, meaning she would have to donate time and money to the charities. She would also be expected to help push policies that would allow the new blood coming into their world a chance to learn and adapt to their new situation.

Free of the veritaserum, the lady listened to her punishment and bowed her head respectfully.

“I shall do as you command, Minister Bagnold. Thank you for using the truth serum to determine innocence,” she said to the woman. “Because you did this, my son will not lose his mother.”

“I am determined to clean things up properly, Baroness, and that means doing things the right way. I shall have your mentor contact you with the information you will need to get started with your work.”

Narcissa gave a small curtsy, then was escorted out of the courtroom as the last trial for the day was called.

Lucius Malfoy, Baron of Cadbury, had been called into the courtroom and dosed with the proper dosage of the truth serum. Once it had taken effect and the confirming questions asked, the potions master nodded for the Minister to begin her questioning.

“Lucius Malfoy, are you marked as a Death Eater?”

“I am,” the blond male answered tonelessly.

“Did you take the mark willingly?”

“I did not,” Lucius replied, making the listeners in the room frown.

“Why did you take the mark,” the Minister asked, watching him closely as she did so.

“My father and the Dark Lord threatened my wife,” he replied. “I could not lose her and finally, I agreed to be marked.”

Bagnold was silent for a moment, contemplating the next question. She’d heard a lot of testimony that day, and she hated that some of the accused had been forced to become something they were not.

“What was your primary task for Voldemort?”

“Financial and political,” Lucius answered flatly. “I kept an eye on the Ministry and informed him when things were going against his wishes.”

“Did you take part in a lot of the revel activities?”

“I was present but did not take part,” he replied. “My bond with my wife would not allow for one of the activities the Dark Lord wished us to do. Because of that as well as my growing influence with the Ministry, I only had to be there to be a witness.”

“Did you ever torture someone?”

“Only a rare few times,” the baron told her. “Only when the Dark Lord was in one of his moods. If I did not do it to his satisfaction, I would be tortured as well.”

“How do you feel now that he is gone?”

“Relieved,” the blond answered. “Our lives were hell, and I want to raise my son without fear of him being forced to serve such a creature.”

“Will you raise your son with the prejudices that come from the supporters of Voldemort?”

“I believe the magical children with new blood need to be integrated sooner so they learn our ways and not force change upon us. They should be identified early and fostered before their time at school. I do not think they are bad people, but our world needs to remain hidden.”

Millicent Bagnold was silent again, gesturing for the antidote for the truth serum that Lucius had taken. Once it had taken effect, she began speaking.

“Lucius Malfoy, Baron of Cadbury, as you were forced to take the mark, this court will be lenient. However, for the damage you have caused, you will be fined 100,000 galleons to be donated to the families who were harmed during the war. Like your wife, you will put work into charities of my choosing so that our society will be able to recover quicker. Your idea regarding fostering is one I believe to be of merit; when the time comes, you will be summoned to join a committee to work on this idea. To conclude this sentence, you are also on restriction regarding your movements for the next year. An auror of my choosing will give you the details within the next day.”

She looked to the members of the Wizengamot, feeling tired and knowing tomorrow would be just as busy.

“I thank the Wizengamot for their time today and request they be here tomorrow morning so that the trials can recommence. Court is adjourned.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s End Note – There may be one or two more Death Eaters I will want to have tried, and that’ll be it for the cases. I’ll be able to move on more towards the rest of the plot. Please let me know what you thought of the story! ~ Laran


	5. Gathering the Family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note – I apologize for the length of time between updates. Between health issues and other life problems, I haven’t had much time or motivation for writing lately. My muses have decided to perk up so I’m taking advantage of it while I can.
> 
> The last chapter got a few interesting reviews, and I can honestly say one of them took me by surprise regarding my decision about Lucius Malfoy. A lot of people were supportive, and some of them even requested I do something regarding another character that was painted as more insane and dark than whole. If I take the challenge on, it might upset others as well as make a few more of my readers happy.
> 
> I just ask that all of you remember that this is an AU, and that gives me a bit more of an open playing field to see what characters do when things are changed up somewhat. 
> 
> Disclaimer – I do not own “Harry Potter” nor do I make any money from this story. I’m just enjoying the opportunity to work on killing off this rabid plot wombat!

After Minister Bagnold’s words to dismiss the Wizengamot for the day, Callidora drew in a slow breath and centered herself for what she knew would follow. It had been an incredibly long day, and there was still more that had to be done before she could rest for the night.

“Are you all right,” Sirius asked in a low tone of voice, watching her closely as he did so.

“I’ll be fine,” she answered. “It’s been a long day, and there will be more like this one to come. I’m just glad to know that only one of our line betrayed our oath to our family, and we didn’t have to lose more.”

“Agreed,” he said softly, noticing eyes watching them. “We’re being observed.”

“The headmaster, I’m sure,” Callidora murmured. “I’m certain he’s worried about you moving to take guardianship of your godson. We will have to be very cautious in how we proceed from here. He can’t know the lad is not where he left him.”

“I’m still waiting on your explanation for that,” he said to his cousin, who gave a tiny nod.

“You will have it tonight,” she said to him. “We will need a family meeting tonight at the manor. I’ll explain everything then once everyone has given their magical oaths.”

“I understand,” he replied, rising to his feet and offering her his hand to assist her in standing.

Once Callidora was on her feet and steady, she took the arm he offered and they began to leave the box where the Wizengamot was seated during meetings and trials.

“Ah, Callidora, Sirius,” an all too cheery voice called out.

Neither individual stopped or looked at the man who was calling their names with a blatant lack of regard to society’s strictures. Sirius took his cues from his cousin, keeping his eyes forward and remaining in a graceful posture that looked rather regal. He wasn’t a fan of all of this formality, but Callidora had impressed upon him the need for this in order to keep his godson safe.

The headmaster stepped into their path, eyes twinkling as he blocked their exit.

“Callidora, Sirius,” he greeted, watching the two carefully.

Both members of the Black family reinforced their occlumency walls, knowing the man was shameless in his use of legilimency. 

“I have not given you leave to address me so informally, headmaster,” the woman replied, sounding cold and formal. 

“My apologies, Dowager Countess,” Albus gritted out, giving a small bow. “I just wished to offer my condolences for the losses your family has suffered the past few days.”

Gray eyes watched the man with an icy expression in them, not pleased with the condolences as the headmaster was guilty for the losses in her mind. Seeing that expression, he turned to look at Sirius, thinking he could get the answer he wanted from the young man.

“We need to speak about your godson, Sirius. His safety is rather important, and I need to know what your plans are regarding the boy.”

“As my esteemed cousin has stated, you have not been given leave to address me so informally, headmaster. All I will say about my intentions regarding my godson is that I have his best interests at heart. Now, if you will excuse us, we have an appointment that we need to attend. Good day,” he said coolly, sidestepping the man and escorting his cousin out of the courtroom.

Once they were out of earshot, the dowager countess tapped his arm with her free hand and spoke softly. She knew of his aversion to all of this formality and was so proud of him for his actions so far.

“You’re doing well,” Callidora praised him quietly. “I know you don’t like having to act the part of the noble, Sirius, but it’s necessary when in public. This is the best way to protect the family.”

“I know,” he said to her. “I’ll do what’s necessary to make sure no one in the family is vulnerable to manipulation again. I just reserve the right to act normal behind closed doors when we don’t need to address family issues.”

“I can accept that,” she reassured him. “I think everyone else can too. Now, I believe we have enough time to waylay Narcissa and her husband before we leave. We’ll have a small family meal at the manor and plot out what needs to happen next.”

Sirius nodded, eyes alert as they entered into the hallway near the main lobby. He spotted the familiar heads of blond hair and guided Callidora to where they were waiting.

“Narcissa,” the woman greeted, accepting the kiss to her cheek.

“Cousin Callidora,” she murmured, looking tired but lovely as usual. The blond accepted a kiss from Sirius, giving him a soft smile. “I am glad to see you free, cousin,” she told him.

“That would be thanks to Cousin Callidora,” he replied, looking to Lucius and accepting a handshake.

“We are having a family meeting,” Callidora told the pair. “Arcturus and the others can’t make it due to health concerns and other issues, but Walburga will be there. We have things to discuss that require the privacy of Dóchas na Myrddin.”

She had her own wing within the traditional family manor, and there were smaller manors attached to the vast estate. Callidora favored the oldest home due to the wards and protections. Augusta and Beauchamp lived in their own wing as well. Franklin and Alice had preferred one of the smaller homes during the early part of their marriage, and the weaker wards had been a problem. This was why they were using the family manse for the meeting as well as the location she would raise the boys.

“It’s a safe place to meet,” Lucius said softly. “Do you wish for us to accompany you?”

“I do,” she answered. “I can send a house elf for Draco so you won’t be parted from him for too long.”

The Malfoys shared a look before agreeing, knowing that there was a good reason Callidora and Sirius were calling this meeting. The four of them headed to the atrium area where the floo connections were.

Callidora and Sirius sent the Malfoys through first, keeping people away from them, and then stepped through. 

The dowager countess spelled the ashes off of her garments, handing her cloak to a house elf.

“Has Walburga arrived,” she asked the elf, who bowed respectfully while taking the cloaks of the others.

“Yes, Mistress,” he told her. “She is waiting in the green parlor, Mistress.”

“Have tea sent to the parlor,” she informed the elf. “Also contact the nanny elf at Cadbury Hall to have Draco brought here. I know Narcissa would feel better with him close by.”

“As you wish, Mistress,” the elf commented, disappearing to follow the instructions he had been given.

She nodded, guiding the party to the parlor and going to her oldest cousin’s side to give her a small kiss on the cheek.

“I am glad you were able to make it today and tonight, Walburga,” she told dowager viscountess.

“Your message was what I needed to realize what was important,” Walburga commented, eyes turning to her son. “A lot of our confrontations over the years were public so I shall do this here,” she began. “Family is the most important thing, and I have forgotten that over the years. I am sorry for that, Sirius, and you have my allegiance, my lord.”

“Apology accepted, Mother. We’ve lost too many of our family to hold onto old grudges,” he told her. “This is a time where the family has to band together to protect those who are left and ensure that our future is prosperous.”

Callidora gestured for all of them to take a seat, doing the same for herself. The tea tray appeared, and she served her guests before taking a deep breath.

“Sirius has questions, and there’s a lot of information I need to share. Before I do so, I need a magical oath from all of you. You must promise to never reveal what I have to tell you through any means – written, thought, or word.”

Lucius and Narcissa shared a long look, and the baroness drew her wand before any of them and gave her oath. Walburga, Lucius, and Sirius were right behind her, swearing to keep everything secret, and once that was done, the dowager countess sipped her tea.

There was a lot to be shared, and she hoped that the four with her would be able to help her with the tasks in front of her. The Blacks had allowed themselves to be manipulated for far too long, and she would see to it that things changed. Callidora had hopes that when the family finally emerged as strong as it once had been, the rest of the magical world would see and follow.

That was a large goal to pursue, but she had time to see it happen. The people with her and the trio of children upstairs would make it happen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s End Note - The plot is moving! I hope that everyone enjoyed the chapter. Please let me know what you think of it, and I’ll see everyone next chapter. Laran


	6. Familial Discussions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note – I’m really happy with how everything has been going so far, and that everyone seems to like it so much. Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to read my story and review. Your thoughts are very important and helps me 
> 
> Disclaimer – I do not own “Harry Potter” nor do I make any money from this story.

After she took a bracing sip of tea, Callidora set the cup onto her saucer and focused on the family sitting in the parlor with her. The news she had to share would not make the Black lord happy, but the information needed to be given.

“A few months ago, I received a visit from James Potter, who had a great many concerns placed on his shoulders. He and Lily had just had a visit from the headmaster, who had shared information regarding a prophecy. Something about it didn’t sit right with them, and they suspected that the prophecy was false. 

“They were worried that if something happened to them, the headmaster would do everything he could to keep Harkin under his control since he seemed to believe this so-called prophecy he’d shared. Lily was afraid that their wills might not be read and their child sent to her sister. As you may recall, Sirius, she is not understanding of magic and her husband even less so.”

Sirius nodded, setting his cup down and looking unhappy. He knew of the couple his cousin was speaking of and hadn’t liked them when he’d met them.

“I met Vernon once, and I found him to be a bigoted, narrow-minded man. Harry would not have done well in their home; it would have broken his spirit.”

Callidora’s lips pressed together for a long moment, remembering her conversation with James before she pulled her attention back to the meeting.

“Lily made arrangements with Petunia to call a house elf to summon me to a meeting place if Harkin was brought to her. She and James had documents ready to ensure custody could not be contested once signed and file, and she also ensured Petunia’s home would be able to fool the headmaster in case of tracking charms or unique wards. James and Lily were very right to be concerned.

“The morning after that fateful night, Petunia opened her front door to find Harkin laying on the doorstep where he had been all night.”

Walburga nearly dropped her teacup, staring at her cousin. She couldn’t believe what the older woman had shared, and the shock showed in her voice when she queried the Longbottom Matriarch.

“The baby had been left outside all night?”

Callidora nodded, looking grave. She had not been pleased when she found that piece of information out herself, and Petunia hadn’t been happy either. They had been fortunate that Harkin had not taken ill from exposure or had been removed from his aunt’s home during the long hours of the night.

“He had,” she said. “I met with Petunia, had her sign any rights to the child over to me. All documents were approved and filed by both Gringotts and the family law firm. That was when I discovered Sirius had been arrested.”

The older Black female looked over at her cousin with a slight frown, unsure as to how Sirius would handle the next bit of news.

“You know the headmaster had not done anything to prevent that? The goblins were fairly adamant that he could have spoken up to keep you from being taken in by law enforcement.”

“I suspected as much when I ended up in a cell,” he replied. “He cast the Fidelius charm and knew Pettigrew had been the secret keeper. He should have spoken up but didn’t. Until now, I didn’t know why.”

“Because doing so would have limited his influence over the Potter heir,” Lucius ventured, looking very unhappy. “As his godfather, you would have been able to assume custody since you would have a stronger case for that over a non-magical relative. Despite his so-called work for our world, your rank would demand that your application for guardianship be given first scrutiny over his. I doubt he wanted to risk that.”

“Exactly,” Callidora told him. “He wants to have control over Harkin; the lad now has the family title and a considerable amount of influence and wealth. While I was at Gringotts, I discovered Dumbledore had tried to gain access to the Potter vaults.”

All of them stared at her for several long moments, stunned by her words. She continued her explanation, knowing they would want answers.

“I put a stop to it, and both the law firm and goblins are helping to keep him distracted away from the will reading. He thinks he had them sealed, but I worked to ensure they will be read soon. The goblins are having the prophecy verified by their own seers and the centaurs since I don’t trust anything that comes out of that wizard’s mouth. I am also going to have Harkin and Neville checked by their healers to ensure the black magic they were exposed to won’t have any effect on them.”

“Dumbledore didn’t have young Lord Potter checked out before placing him with his maternal aunt?”

“No, Narcissa, he did not. I should have an appointment time for them by tomorrow,” she replied. “I am not leaving things to chance. Black magic is something that should not be overlooked, and I refuse to allow the boys to remain untreated should there be complications.”

“You did the right thing, and I can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done for him. If James and Lily hadn’t come to you, I’m terrified to think of what could have happened to Harry,” Sirius told Callidora, pleased that his cousin had been able to act so swiftly to ensure his godson had been taken care of. “I assume you have full custody?”

“On paper, yes,” the Longbottom matriarch told him. “I fully intend to ensure you have access to your godson. Both he and Neville will need a masculine influence, but I do not want him a carbon copy of our cousin. He needs to be himself,” she warned him.

Sirius was quiet for a moment, then nodded. Harkin needed more than pranks to be able to succeed once he was ready for Hogwarts. James wouldn’t want him to be as cruel as they had been during their youth and in retrospect, they had taken things way too far. There was a lot he had to make amends for, and he didn’t want his godson to have the same regrets once he became an adult.

“I understand what you’re saying,” he told his cousin. “I don’t want him to be too serious either; the boys deserve a chance to be kids while growing up.”

“We’ll maintain the balance,” she replied, understanding his request. “I also wanted to offer Draco a chance to spend time with them, give him an opportunity to have friends he can rely on while growing up. They can share tutors as well.”

The Malfoys looked at each other for a moment, and Narcissa gave a small nod and smile. This would be a good thing for their son, and it’d give him a chance to form a solid friendship as well as a future alliance between the three houses.

“We’d be honored, Lady Longbottom,” Lucius told her, giving the woman and honest smile. “This will be good for all three of them.”

“I believe so too,” she replied. “In the meantime, we have to work together to determine what to do regarding the headmaster’s plans.”

The baron leaned forward, thinking for a moment. He, like the others, had no wish to see Dumbledore’s power base grow and any future plans the man had needed to be halted at the earliest opportunity.

“I have a seat on the board of governors for the school. I believe Lord Black and Lord Potter have seats as well. Am I correct, Lord Black?”

“You are correct; both estates have hereditary seats. Doesn’t the Longbottom family have a seat there,” Sirius asked his older cousin.

“We do,” she said, picking up on what he was saying. “We can keep an eye on any policy changes he tries to institute. Beauchamp mentioned that he’d heard whispers of the headmaster weeding out more courses that would allow the new blood coming in to integrate better in our society.”

“I’m afraid he’s right,” Lucius replied. “There’s a few classes that were removed over the years that very much need to be put back into the curriculum. In truth, they should never have been removed and I’ve no idea how he convinced the board to allow this.”

“The three of you will have to block any further course alterations that will hinder the growth of our world. Any changes that will improve things will need to be done slowly,” Narcissa advised. “Is he allowed at the reading of the wills?”

“No,” Callidora replied. “He is not; it will be family only. I was assured of that during the last visit at the bank.”

Walburga met her niece’s eyes, realizing what she was thinking and her own Slytherin mind started coming up with ideas.

“Sirius, do you know where Lily’s sister lives?”

“I do,” he said to his mother, watching her closely as he knew that expression she was wearing all too well. “What are you thinking?”

“We let the will reading happen and allow the wards to fall at her home. We’ll announce the succession of Lord Potter to his title through the traditional means of the Wizengamot via Sirius claiming proxy to the seat the Marquess of Orkney owns. He can do the same for the family seat on the board of governors. This will make the headmaster believe that Sirius has full custody of Lord Potter,” Walburga said to them. 

“We’ll use Sirius as a distraction,” Narcissa commented, picking up what her aunt was suggesting. “This way Lord Potter can remain here without anyone suspecting he isn’t at whatever home Sirius has chosen. It’s a good idea, but it will require a lot from Sirius.”

“He’ll have to take over as regent for the Marquess’s businesses and estate,” Lucius pointed out. “To make this believable, none of the Orkney estate and financial portfolios can be allowed to stagnate. They have to grow and show signs of being properly monitored.”

Sirius was quiet for a moment, thinking about what they were saying. He would have his hands full with his own family dealings and adding the Orkney estate and businesses would really eat into his time. It was time he wanted to spend with his godson.

“Lord Black, I would be willing to help you,” Lucius offered, realizing the man’s conundrum. “We could work together on handling Lord Potter’s estate and business dealings with you as the lead. No one needs to know I am helping, but you’ll have the extra help as I know both your estate and Lord Potter’s is fairly sizeable. This will give you enough free time to spend with young Lord Potter.”

“I appreciate that,” he told him. “I know you’ve done quite a bit of improvement on your own estate since inheriting the title from your father so I wouldn’t mind having advice on how to do the same for mine and the Orkney estate.”

“I have,” he said to him. “I don’t mind helping where I can. This is going to take all of us to make sure we keep the children safe from his manipulations and ensure they have a happy childhood.”

Walburga nodded, finishing her tea. She knew she had a lot to mend regarding her son, and she would prove her loyalty to family by supporting Callidora, Sirius, and the Malfoys in protecting the children. The Blacks would protect their own.

“I will lend my aid as well,” the older woman commented, sharing her thoughts. “There’s a few contacts that might aid us in going up against the headmaster in subtle ways at first. I think it’s time we started to renew alliances.”

“You may be right, Mother,” Sirius began but stopped when a house elf entered the room, bearing a letter that was given to Callidora.

The dowager countess read through the missive, then gave a small smile. She looked up at her family, setting the note into her lap.

“It seems Gringotts is ready to examine both boys,” she told them. “Due to their young ages and the potential problems with security, they have offered to send a team here.”

“When do they want to do this,” the Black lord asked, glad the goblins had offered to accommodate them like this.

“Tonight,” Callidora answered. “Would everyone mind if we put dinner back for a few hours? I’d like to see this taken care of first thing.”

“Of course not,” Narcissa told her. “I’ll ring for an elf while you write the response,” she offered.

“Thank you, dear,” the matriarch replied, going to a small table in the room and writing the reply to send back to the bank.

Callidora was very pleased with the events of the evening, and she hoped that the team from Gringotts would be able to ensure that both babies would be healthy and safe from any lingering magic.

After the note was finished and sent off, she returned to her prior seat and found the same expressions of worry on the faces of her loved ones. The older woman could understand the cause for their concern and hoped that everything would be all right.

“Now, we wait.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s End Note – Another chapter done and hope everyone enjoyed it. Please let me know what you thought and thanks for reading! Laran


	7. Discoveries Made

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note – I really do appreciate those who left such wonderful reviews and who have taken time to pm with me as well to discuss things. You guys are utterly amazing, and you’re all an inspiration to me. I do apologize for the length of time between updates. I was off my meds for months due to financial problems and recently was able to get back on them. During the time they were building in my bloodstream, I was unable to write or do any reading because I spent every day both foggy and groggy. Now that everything has stabilized, I’m clear headed, emotions a bit more stable, and ready to write!
> 
> Disclaimer – I do not own “Harry Potter” nor do I make money from this story.

The team from Gringotts arrived within an hour of receiving the response from the Longbottom Matriarch. The group was escorted into the parlor, and everyone’s eyes widened when they recognized the lead goblin. The fact this particular individual was here was both a serious honor as well as surprise for it was rare he left the bank.

“Lord Ragnok,” Callidora greeted, rising and giving a curtsy to show respect for his considerable rank. “Welcome to Dóchas na Myrddin.”

“Countess,” he responded, bowing as he did so. “The information regarding certain estates reached me, and I wished to oversee things personally. Viscount Black, I was pleased to hear of your release.”

“I was informed your goblins worked with my cousin and our family law firm to ensure she had the information required to ensure I was given a fair trial,” Sirius said to him, voice grave. “I am grateful to them.”

“It’s bad business when our noble account holders are wrongfully accused and we do nothing to lend our aid,” the king of the goblins told him. “Even more so when I find that there have been attempts at meddling with the estate vaults entrusted to our care.”

“We were very displeased when Callidora informed us,” the viscount told the goblin. “She assured me that Gringotts moved quickly to ensure my godson’s vaults were not tampered with. She has also stated that your people will be having the wills read soon?”

The goblin gave them a wicked smirk, telling the humans in the room that something had been done and they were going to like it.

“I am breaking with protocol,” Ragnok commented. “After the team examines Lord Potter and Heir Longbottom, we shall have the readings here and I also have a report regarding our research into the prophecy the former Marquess reported to the Dowager Countess.”

“A very busy evening,” Walburga stated. “We are all pleased to see that everything has been handled so swiftly, Lord Ragnok.”

The king nodded, taking note of the same expression on Baron and Baroness Malfoy’s faces. These were powerful clients, and he knew he had done the right thing in stepping in to handle things.

“We should see to the young lord and heir,” Ragnok began. “I am aware that almost every magical nursery is layered in specific charms for the health and protection of the children. Is there a ceremonial room in the home?”

“There is,” Callidora replied, rising to her feet. “If you’ll follow me please?”

After sending a messenger to the nanny elf to meet them at the ceremonial room, the Dowager Countess led the goblins and humans to the room that had been requested for their use.

The ceremonial room was always at the heart of every estate that was as ancient as Dóchas na Myrddin was. Though protected by every ward, enchantment, and runic combination, the room itself was neutral so magical ceremonies and rituals could be conducted without fear of magical contamination. 

The nanny elf was waiting outside of the room, giving the little lord to Sirius while Narcissa took Draco from her as well. Callidora accepted Neville, soothing him softly when he made a quiet sound when he was moved.

“If you’ll lay Heir Longbottom on the altar,” the head healer requested as the group entered the ceremonial room.

The Longbottom Matriarch nodded, heading towards the beautifully carved altar. Gently, she rested her great grandson onto it, rubbing his belly soothingly for a moment before moving out of the way of the healers.

The group watched as the goblin healers went to work, and each of them were hoping that the child had not come to harm during the attack on his family. Walburga rested a hand on her cousin’s shoulder, silently lending her support while the assessment was ongoing.

“Countess, do you know if Heir Longbottom’s parents cast any binding spells upon him,” a healer asked, turning to the older woman.

“Not that I am aware of,” she answered. “Traditionally, Longbottoms are against binding an infant’s core unless there’s absolute need to do so. It’s loosened fairly quickly once the child begins learning control. According to Alice, Neville showed no need of having that done.”

“Someone has done so, and it’s fairly recent,” the goblin continued, involuntarily taking a step back when rage showed on the woman’s face. 

“How recent,” Callidora managed to grit out in an even tone.

“The last two days, my lady, and the magic does not have a familial taste to it.”

“Do you have the means of capturing the magical signature for ritual purposes,” she asked, catching everyone by surprise.

“We do,” Ragnok answered, knowing what the woman was going to do. “Once you declare it, we shall ensure the actions are recorded.”

“Do it,” the dowager countess said flatly, eyes gleaming with fury. 

The healer nodded, capturing the signature and setting the stone that held it in a safe place. Carefully, the group removed the bindings on the infant, watching in satisfaction as the boy’s magical core pulsed in response.

“No damage to his core,” the head healer reported to the humans. “Had this binding remained, there would have been considerable damage to both his core and the pathways magic follows through the body.”

“Why would anyone do such a thing to a baby,” Narcissa murmured, holding her son to her heart. “Magical children are a gift from our Mother herself.”

“Heir Longbottom was exposed to black magic,“ Sirius told the goblins. “Will there be any long term effects from it?”

“We were able to purge it from his system, but there has been something of significance that we’ve noticed,” the healer began. “His magic has already chosen an affinity.”

“At this young an age,” Lucius interjected, stunned by the report. “Children’s magic don’t begin choosing affinities until they’re nearly ready for Hogwarts.”

“You can blame the one who bound his magic as well as those who harmed him with black magic,” another healer replied, sounding as displeased as the humans felt. “It forced his core to begin choosing which way his power and gifts should go.”

“Are you able to discern which way it is aligning itself,” Walburga asked, blinking when the healer nodded.

“He will be a gray wizard, Lady Black,” he told them, shocking all of them into a brief period of silence. 

“There hasn’t been a gray aligned wizard in the Longbottom family for ten generations,” Callidora said in a dangerously quiet voice. “Even with my alignment, my children and grandchildren have been light oriented.”

“The potential was always there,” Ragnok said, having made a study of this. “However, the binding and the exposure to black magic pushed his magic into accepting this alignment.”

“This will make educating him a challenge,” she murmured, scooping her grandson up. “However, the House of Longbottom will see it done.”

Sirius headed to the altar, heart aching because he just knew that his godson had damage from the attack by Voldemort. All he could do was hope to the gods that the damage wouldn’t be too severe because the baby had enough to face in the future.

Once the child was laid on the altar, the goblins began examining the little lord. The watching adults could hear the conversation going on in their native tongue, and they were worried by the tone of voice they could hear from the group.

At the querying look from Narcissa, Lucius gave his wife a shake of his head, dreading the news that would be forthcoming soon because the baby had been exposed to one of the darkest spells known to their kind. She nodded, understanding and hoping that her husband was wrong. 

“The little lord’s magic was bound,” the healer spat out, sounding furious. “Same magical signature as the one who did the same to Heir Longbottom. We’ve captured a sample of the signature.”

Callidora was near vibrating with rage, and it was only Walburga’s hand on her shoulder that kept her from reacting. Her cousins and Lucius were also infuriated by what they’d been told.

“What else did you find,” she asked, barely keeping herself in check.

“The magical scar can be eradicated,” the healer said. “But there is a problem. Somehow, a piece of foreign magic has wedged itself into Lord Potter’s soul at the fringes and is trying to work itself into his soul and magic.”

“Is that even possible,” the baron interjected, stunned by what he’d heard. “Magic isn’t supposed to be able to be separated like that.”

“It should not be, but it has done so. This must be removed and soon,” the head healer told him. “This will be dangerous to him as he ages.”

“Can you do it,” Sirius asked, worried for his godson.

“We are doing so now,” the goblin reassured him, joining his companions as the group worked to remove the foreign piece of magic from the child. 

The group waited, watching as the goblins kept working over the squirming infant. He made soft sounds of discomfort, making the hearts of the wizards and witches ache because they didn’t like the fact the young one was hurting. 

Eventually, the group moved away from the altar, reporting the results of everything that had been done and discovered.

“The shard has been removed and destroyed,” the healer told them. “Had this not been removed, this could have caused a weakness in his natural occlumency walls, leaving him prone to psychic attacks, and the binding of his magic would have caused similar problems as Heir Longbottom. Whoever found him after the attack on his home should have ensured he had seen a healer.

“Like Heir Longbottom, Lord Potter’s magic has aligned itself to the gray and possibly would have gone dark had that shard not been removed.”

Magic rippled around Callidora, and her voice was very restrained when she addressed the goblins. 

“I will need a few moments before we have the reading of the wills,” she said to them. “I appreciate what all of you have done for the children.”

“Of course,” Ragnok said, saying something in his native tongue. He sent the healers back to the bank and his assistant to get things set up for the reading of the wills. The crystals used to capture the recording of the magical signature of the one who had bound the magical cores of the children had been left on the altar.

Once all but the king were gone, the nanny elf came for the three children and left the adults alone in the ceremonial room. That was when Callidora’s ability to hold tightly onto her anger began to erode quickly and she headed to the altar, pulling pins out of her hair as she did so.

Narcissa and Walburga, recognizing what she was about to do, turned to their lords to silently ask for permission. Both Sirius and Lucius nodded, knowing they were in the right to follow their blood relative, and they followed the two women as they went to the altar. Pins were removed from their hair, allowing the tresses to hang free from the usual buns they habitually wore.

All three women stood around the altar with Sirius standing several feet behind Walburga and Callidora, centered between them. Lucius was behind Narcissa, several feet away as well. Ragnok, who had not left the room, was standing well away as observer.

“Mother Magic, hear our cry! Our children have been harmed, and our blood screams for vengeance,” the oldest witch called out.

The men’s breath caught when magic ripped around them powerfully, and they knew it was a signal that Magic had heard the Callidora’s call.

Walburga continued the incantation, hair whipping wildly around her face and body as she invoked the next portion of the ritual.

“Someone has sought to use our children for his own gains, binding that which You have given them,” she called, her own magic feeding into the swirl of power that rippled around the altar with the deadly force of a hurricane.

“I stand for the mothers lost, who cannot bring this supplication to You,” Narcissa continued, voice full of anger and ice. “Our children are our precious gifts, given to us by You, and their very bonds to You were threatened. Had it not been caught, their ability to wield Your gift would have been damaged.”

Sirius and Lucius said nothing, feeding their magic to show support but as this was a woman’s ritual design to call upon the maternal aspect of Magic, they really had no other part than to support the females of their houses. Both men froze, eyes widening as the pale image of Lily Potter took the open side of the altar.

“By House Longbottom, before You, Mother Magic, I declare a feud in blood and magic against the one who has harmed our children!”

“By House Black, before You, Mother Magic, I also declare a feud in blood and magic against the one who has harmed our children!”

“By House Malfoy,” Narcissa called out, voice strong with anger and determination. “Before You, Mother Magic, I declare a feud in blood and magic against the one who has harmed our children!”

“By House Potter, before You, Mother Magic, and before Death Himself, I do declare a feud in blood and magic against the one who has harmed our children,” Lily’s voice was cold and soft, sending chills down the spines of the men who were listening. She was furious, and her remaining magic was feeding the ritual.

“Hear our cry! Give us justice!

At the combined voices of all four women and the combined magic of all six, the crystal containing the magic of the one who had tried to hurt their children shattered. Magic showed an image of a house crest covered in blood with their own house crests around it, shining like a beacon.

Magic twisted the family magic of all assembled, registering the feud before dying down. Once the power had ebbed, all eyes turned to the ghostly image of Lily Potter.

Green eyes watched all three of the women, her voice soft and wispy as she addressed the trio.

“A mother’s magic is strongest of all magic,” she told them softly. “Love my son, take him into your hearts and continue what I have given. My gift shall extend to the ones of your blood as well.”

With that, she disappeared and the adults as well as Ragnok were stunned into silence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s End Note – I really hope everyone enjoyed this installment. For those of you who are reading on a site that doesn’t allow for update alerts, please check my profile for the yahoo group I have where I post alerts and links to the updates. Please let me know what you think of the chapter! See everyone next time. ~ Laran


	8. Legalities

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note – I hope everyone likes this; thank you to everyone who read and took the time to share their thoughts. Yes, this is short but with all the tech issues, I wanted to get out what I did have and the chapter does feel complete. I do apologize for the length of time between updates, but I had tech issues from hell.
> 
> Disclaimer – I do not own “Harry Potter” nor do I make any money from this story.

There was a silence of several long minutes before Lucius spoke, voice almost too silent to be heard in the stillness of the ritual room. There was a note of awe and shock in his tone as he addressed the others in the room.

“Did I just see the former Marchioness?”

“You did,” Sirius replied, sounding so very stunned. “That was definitely Lily. Her magic was unmistakable. I remember her being angry once, and it was like being surrounded by fire. I learned pretty quickly not to get on her bad side.”

“Her son was put at great risk,” Narcissa told them, pinning her hair back up into an informal twist. “Had the situation been reversed, I would have torn through the veil to ensure my child was protected in any way I could arrange it. Magic, being a mother to us all, would allow for a mother’s pure love and desire to protect her child to manifest through the veil.”

“There will be a lot to study in the upcoming days,” Walburga said, putting the last pin in her hair to put the heavy mass back up into a neat bun. “Her last words are rather intriguing, and I mean to find out what it is she meant.”

“Let’s just hope it’s something good,” the baron said, rubbing his temples. “You do realize who the house was we declared blood feud on was?”

“The House of Dumbledore,” Callidora answered, setting her appearance to rights. “We will have to be incredibly cautious now because he will work to subvert the feud by any means possible. House Potter joined us in claiming the feud, and he will want access to Harkin so that he can mold him into whatever form he thinks my cousin should take in life. I wouldn’t doubt that he’ll try to get the Potter family out of the feud on the off chance that the Houses of Black, Longbottom, and Malfoy would follow.”

“That certainly won’t happen. With the will being read, things will be set on its ear anyway,” Sirius said, fingers twitching slightly as he thought about the situation. “He’ll think I’ll have custody of Harkin since the wards will collapse. Lord Ragnok, I am willing pay your warders to ensure that Petunia Dursley’s home will be protected from any undesirables. As much as I dislike her husband, I know Lily would want her sister taken care of and the woman did ensure my godson was brought to a safe haven. I owe her for that.”

“I will send you the estimates, Lord Black,” the head of the goblins agreed. “I will make sure they are the best we can provide.”

“I appreciate that,” he said, looking tired but determined. “We should have the readings now because I know your time is limited, and there will be a lot that needs to be done once we know what Prongs and Lily’s instructions are.”

“Then we need to get that out of the way,” Callidora said, leading them to the parlor where Ragnok’s assistant had set everything up.

The group took a seat, making themselves comfortable, and the head of the goblins stood beside the small table where the items the goblins had brought with them had been set up. When he realized the humans were ready, Ragnok picked up a document and began reading.

“The wills of James Charlus and Lily Rosamunde Potter, Marquess and Marchioness of Orkney, have been recorded and verified within the halls of Gringotts and are final,” the goblin informed them. “Both the Marquess and Marchioness revised their wills shortly before the attack on Samhain, and they reflect the custody arrangements currently in place. As the Marquess of Orkney pre-deceased his wife, his will shall be read first.”

Ragnok lifted a small orb that looked like a rather large pearl and set it onto a tri-pronged stand that held the item snuggly. He tapped it gently with the tip of a finger, and an all too familiar voice brought tears to Sirius’s eyes. Callidora reached out, taking his hand and squeezing it to comfort him.

“I am James Charlus Potter, Marquess of Orkney, Head of the Most Ancient and Esteemed House of Potter, and I do declare before Magic that this is my final Will and Testament. If I have died before my wife, custody of my son and heir, Harkin James Potter, shall be granted to the Marchioness of Orkney. She shall share governship rights over the estate with the help of Sirius Orion Black, heir to Viscount Black of Dyntagell, as he has the training necessary to help her run an estate the size of ours. 

“Should she predecease me, then custody will be granted to my cousin, Callidora Black Longbottom, who will raise my heir to ensure Harkin is a good man. I ask my dearest friend and cousin, Sirius Black, to assist her in this endeavor and to keep the estate flourishing. I grant him the legal permission to be the proxy for the family seats on both the Wizengamot and the Hogwarts Educational Board as well as to ensure that the estate flourishes until the time my son is ready to take over.

“Sirius, you know our beliefs regarding the issues close to the heart of the House. I am positive you will ensure the right thing is done while you hold the proxy for Harkin. Make sure he learns right from wrong and knows how to fight for honor and to protect those who need it.

“At the age of eleven, Harkin will be allowed to claim the signet ring to take the title of Marquess. From that point, he will begin studying to learn to take over the seats both on the Wizengamot and the Hogwarts Educational Board as well as learning the business and estate management so that when he reaches the age of majority, he will be able to step in and take over.

“By no means is he to be allowed near Albus Dumbledore without appropriate supervision, chosen by Callidora Black Longbottom or Sirius Black. Albus Dumbledore is not allowed to make any custodial decisions or any decisions that affect my son in any manner.

“A sum of 5,000 galleons a year and the use of Honeycutt Cottage will be granted to Remus Lupin for the duration of his life. Even though I know he is more than capable of taking care of himself, due to the laws restricting his kind, I am declaring him a ward of the Potter family and know that he will be given the opportunity to write the stories he regaled my son with. Write, Moony. You have the chance to do so now.

“To my friend, Sirius Black, there isn’t much to leave you that you don’t have already. Take care of my son, Padfoot, and make sure that he’s prepared to stand against those who would seek to use him or cause him harm. You have my love, brother, and I also leave you a trunk at Teach na Laochra which contains special mementos that you will treasure more than wealth.

“Our secret keeper is Peter Pettigrew, not Sirius Black. Our friend volunteered to pretend he is our secret keeper in order to keep Peter safe. Should something happen to us, this Will shall stand as testament to the innocence of Sirius. Albus Dumbledore, the one who cast the charm, also knows that Sirius is safe and should be able to speak up regarding my friend and brother’s innocence.

“And finally, to my beloved son and heir, Harkin James Potter, I leave my estate, the title, my love, and my wishes for you to live a long and happy life. Grow to be a wise man, help others, and remember that power is to be used for the benefit of those less fortunate than yourself.

”Thus ends my final Will and Testament. Mischief Managed. So Mote it be.”

The orb went silent, and Sirius swallowed against the lump in his throat. He and Callidora shared a look, silently agreeing to carry out the wishes of the past Marquess. Both of the Malfoys felt the same and remained silent, offering a quiet support to their family.

Ragnok put the first orb into the case and lifted a second orb, placing it where the first had been. Once it was settled in position, the goblin gently tapped it and a hauntingly familiar voice was heard in the room.

“I am Lily Rosamunde Evans Potter, Marchioness of Orkney, and I do declare before Magic that this is my final Will and Testament. Should I predecease my husband, custody of our son, Harkin James Potter, shall be given to my husband, James Charlus Potter, Marquess of Orkney. I ask that James will raise our son to be a good man, wise and giving to those in need.

“Should my husband predecease me and my life is taken, custody of our son, Harkin James Potter, shall be given to Lady Callidora Black Longbottom as I know she will insist on raising him in the manner that will be befitting of the man our son shall become. I ask that my husband’s dearest friend and cousin, Sirius Black, aid our cousin in raising Harkin to become a good man and ensure that the estate is taken care of.

“Per my husband’s wishes, our son will claim his signet and take up the mantle of the Marquess of Orkney. Both Sirius Black and Lady Longbottom shall ensure that he is ready to step into role he was born to take.

“I ask for the jewelry that belonged to my mother to be passed to my sister, Petunia Evans Dursley, and I am placing a sum of 100,000 pounds in savings to pay for her son’s education should he choose to go to university. It will be used to pay his tuition and there are conditions attached to it as well, which is part of the documentation Gringotts has. Another sum of 150,000 pounds will be given to my sister.

“Under no conditions is my son to be given to my sister or her husband to raise. If he is ever placed there, it will be in violation of our wishes and hers. Should he be removed to her home, I entrust the goblins of Gringotts to ensure that my son goes to Lady Callidora Black Longbottom.

“As my husband has no doubt stated, our secret keeper is Peter Pettigrew and not Sirius Black. Sirius bravely suggested that he be a decoy to keep Peter from being found. The charm was cast by Albus Dumbledore so if something should happen to our friend and son’s godfather, then he should be the one to speak out in his defense.

“Albus Dumbledore will not be allowed to make any decisions regarding my son and will not be allowed near him without the proper authorization from his guardians. I will not have him sharing anything regarding a prophecy around my son.

“To my beautiful son, Harkin James Potter, I leave my love, books, and personal effects that I brought with me into the marriage. Grow up into a loving man, my son, and do what is right. Go against what is expected of you and follow your heart.

“Thus ends my final Will and Testament, so mote it be.”

The group was quiet for a long moment before Ragnok broke it, sharing information as he tucked the orb away safely.

“We will be informing Remus Lupin of his inheritance as well as the Dursleys who gained an inheritance that the Marchioness left them. Also, we had our seers as well as the centaurs look at the prophecy that Dumbledore mentioned to both the Marquess and Marchioness. It is a false prophecy, and he should not have pursued it.”

Sirius got up, stalking to the window to calm down. The headmaster had led his friends to their deaths and over something that was a fake. It enraged him, and he knew he had to bring his emotions under control so he could approach this logically. 

“Ragnok, make sure the blood feud is registered tonight,” he said, voice grim. “Can you also ascertain if that prophecy was filed with the prophecies in the Department of Mysteries and if so, it needs to be destroyed because I will not having affecting my godson’s life.”

“I’ll see it’s done,” the goblin promised, then left the group alone to return to his people and to the work that needed to be done tonight. He was well aware that the humans had been given quite a bit to think on, and he didn’t envy them for the tasks ahead of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s End Note – A bit of legal stuff that had to be handled. I’ve made a decision that this story will be in two arcs. One dealing with Dumbledore and his manipulations as we navigate the aftermath of Voldemort’s defeat. The next will deal with a more serious villain and will take more time since it’ll be more on Harry and his friends than the adults will. Make no mistake, the grownups will have a strong role against the enemy but the kids have a stronger input. I hope you guys enjoyed this! Please let me know what you think. ~ Laran


	9. Mother Son Discussion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note – First of all, I wish to thank everyone for their patience regarding updates for this story. I’m involved in Hobbit Big Bang and wanted to get that finished by the deadline. Good news is that it’s done, finished with my beta reader, and I’m now able to focus on my other WIPs. This update is short, I know, but I wanted to get something out for everyone. I’m going to be dividing my time amongst the WIPs I have posted (health willing) and try to get some chapters saved so I will have a “nest egg” for each story to post from. So once again, thank you for your patience and sorry it’s short. Enjoy!
> 
> Disclaimer – I do not own “Harry Potter” nor do I make any money from this story!

Callidora sat in her personal study, tapping her fingers as she contemplated what needed to happen next. Narcissa and Lucius had taken Draco home so the little family could get some rest, and the baron had promised to meet her and Sirius in the morning when the Wizengamot convened once again. Sirius had gone up to spend time with his godson and Neville, needing to be close to the boys for the moment before trying to sleep.

The older woman sighed, rising to her feet and going to the fireplace. She knelt on a pillow, tossing in a small amount of floo powder and called out to the fire.

“La Casita de Sol, Beauchamp Longbottom,” she said, waiting for several moments before the familiar face of her son appeared.

“Mother, is everything all right,” Beauchamp asked his parent. “I hadn’t expected to hear from you this soon. How is everything going?”

“According to plan so far,” Callidora answered, then quietly filled him in on the events that had taken place since he and Augusta had departed to visit his sister. 

“So the prophecy Frank told me about was a false one? What in Merlin’s name is going on here, Mother,” he asked, sounding angry and confused.

“I have no idea, son. Lives have been lost and forever changed because of his actions, and there’s no rhyme or reason for it,” the matriarch replied. “Either he’s gone insane or there’s something he’s hiding and hasn’t shared yet.”

“Do I need to come back?”

“No, I know how important this visit is to you,” Callidora told her offspring. With Beauchamp’s vision fading, he needed this last visit before he went fully blind and the healers were saying that the complete loss of vision could happen at any time. Her son needed memories of his family to sustain him in the darkness he would be living in.

“I’ll send the documentation needed for the registration of the blood feud to Gringotts so that the head of the House Longbottom will back the Matriarch’s Call for Vengeance,” Beauchamp told her. “Do you think you can continue to handle things in my stead for the next few days? Augusta and I were discussing returning by Saturday earlier this evening after supper.”

“I don’t want you cutting the visit short,” she objected but was cut off when he smiled at her, shaking his head.

“I need to be there for my grandson, Mother, and you’ll need me to stand with Sirius and Malfoy to ensure that justice is handled for our cousin and grandchild. This will take the combined presence of both the current Earl and Countess of Glastonbury as well as the esteemed Dowager Countess to help keep our home safe from meddlers like Dumbledore,” he informed his mother. 

“As you wish, son,” she agreed. “I won’t deny that having you here would be a help to what needs to be done.”

“Can you manage things until Saturday?”

“I can,” Callidora assured him.

“Good, we will see you then, Mother,” he replied. “Be careful, please? I don’t want anything happening to the rest of my family.”

“I promise you that we are being cautious, Beauchamp. All will be well,” she said with a smile before the floo call ended.

The witch gave a quiet sigh, rising from her kneeling position in front of the fireplace. She shook her head, leaving her study to head towards her bedroom. It had been a very long day, and tomorrow would be even longer. A part of her was looking forward to it, knowing it would be a very poor one for a certain meddling wizard.

The next morning, after a good breakfast and cuddle time with two infants, Sirius and Callidora met with Lucius outside of the Wizengamot chambers. 

“I stopped by Gringotts this morning,” the baron told the other two. “It seems that the notification of the wills having been read has been sent out, and I was informed that the wards erected by the headmaster around the property where he placed young Lord Potter have collapsed. The goblins are currently placing their own unique protections on the relative’s property now to ensure that no one can harm them.”

“I sent a letter to Moony last night to fill him in on what’s going on so that he can’t be used against us,” Sirius informed them. “I’m planning on talking to him once we’re done with the Wizengamot for the day.”

“Beauchamp sent the paperwork declaring the reigning earl’s approval for the Longbottom’s participation in the Matriarch’s Call for Vengeance,” Callidora shared. “He’ll be home on Saturday to aid us further.”

“I’m sorry he’s having to cut his trip short,” the dark haired male told his cousin. “I know how much he’d wanted to see his sister before he lost his sight completely.”

“I wish it wasn’t necessary but even though I am temporary regent, some things need the current earl’s touch,” she said with a sigh. “I’ll feel better with him home too since everything is still so topsy turvy in our world.”

“It would be safer for him,” Lucius agreed. “I think it’s time for us to go in. Shall we?”

The three of them entered the chamber, sitting together as they waited for everyone to assemble so the meeting could begin. Under a privacy spell, they discussed how Sirius should handle the announcement of him being the proxy for the Potter Estate until Harkin was of age to assume the full responsibility of becoming the Marquess of Orkney. The announcement for the blood feud would be made as the clerk for the Wizengamot would read that off during the opening of the assembly.

The spell was dispelled as soon as more people entered the chamber and soon, everyone was in place. The minister established the same ground rules as she had the day before, not wanting too many interruptions. Once she was done, she had the clerk read off the announcements. 

There was a wave of whispers that followed the announcement of the blood feud that the Houses of Potter, Black, Longbottom, and Malfoy had declared against the House of Dumbledore. The representatives of the Houses were quiet, keeping a sharp eye on the man who had earned their ire.

“I must protest, Madam Minister. The House of Potter cannot declare such a feud against my own House,” Dumbledore protested.

Bagnold noticed when Sirius raised his hand with a lazy motion, and she was swift to acknowledge him since she was eager to find out what happened.

“I recognize Viscount Black,” she stated, a bit irked that Dumbledore had not followed the proper procedure to be allowed to speak.

The dark haired male rose to his feet with easy grace, bowing slightly in respect to the minister before speaking.

“Madam Minister, I had intended to report this once the floor was open for such announcements before the trials recommence. The Wills of the Marquess and Marchioness of Orkney were read last night before witnesses. My cousin and his wife have appointed me as my godson’s proxy to the seats he has inherited in both this august body as well as the Hogwarts Educational Board. I will also be monitoring his estate and businesses until he is of age to claim his title and then will be allowed to begin sitting in on what we do and learn how to represent his House properly. Once he reaches his majority, I will resign my proxy and Lord Harkin Potter will claim his seats.

“I can certainly assure every member of this governing body that the declaration of the blood feud by the Most Ancient and Esteemed House of Potter has been acknowledged by Magic Herself and registered by Gringotts.”

“Viscount Black, by what means was the blood feud declared,” the minister asked, knowing this was important since Magic had acknowledged the feud so quickly.

“The ritual of the Matriarch’s Call for Vengeance was the method used,” Sirius replied, causing a stir within both the Wizengamot and the audience.

“Impossible,” Dumbledore interrupted, knowing the requirements for the ritual. “The House of Potter could not be represented there since it is a male who is the current guardian for the young child.”

“Magic provided the maternal representative for this ritual,” Lord Black replied. “There were witnesses who can verify that my words are true.”

“Please name your witnesses,” Millicent asked, amazed that Lily Potter had been brought through the veil to aid in the ritual.

“The Dowager Countess of Glastonbury, who was the maternal representative for the Most Ancient and Valiant House of Longbottom, the Dowager Viscountess of Dyntagell, who was the maternal representative for the Most Ancient and Shrewd House of Black, the Baroness of Cadbury, who represented the Ancient and Loyal House of Malfoy, were amongst the ones who witnessed the spirit of the Marchioness taking part in the ritual. Further witnesses were myself, Baron Malfoy, and Lord Ragnok of Gringotts.”

“All is in order,” Minister Bagnold stated. “The Wizengamot and the Ministry for Magic recognize the blood feud against the House of Dumbledore.”

The three allies could see the look of rage on the Headmaster’s face for a moment before it smoothed into its usual placid expression. They knew that he was not pleased with the current turn of events, and it was fairly likely that Sirius would be approached about his godson during the first break.

Their thoughts turned away from their plans as the trials resumed and focused themselves on the duty at hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s End Note - I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Please let me know what you thought. Your reviews help fuel the muses! See you next time! ~ Laran

**Author's Note:**

> Author’s End Note – I hope you enjoyed this first chapter. Please let me know what you thought of it. See everyone next chapter! Laran


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